AU: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
by Artemis Luna Diana
Summary: Harry is raised by Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Arabella Figg. He's trained in secret because they believe Voldemort will return. Features Slytherin!Harry
1. Chapter One: Et tu, Brutus?

**Title:** AU: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

**Author:** Artemis Luna Diana

**E-Mail:** artemislunadiana@yahoo.com

**Rating:** PG-13 (cursing)

**Pairing:** none

**Time:** begins the night of James and Lily's deaths and continues through Harry's first year of school

**Summary:** Harry grows up under the watchful eyes of Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and Arabella Figg.  When Harry was still little, he had a nightmare and woke up screaming.  When his guardians arrived in his bedroom, he told them that _he_ would be coming back.  Knowing instinctively who Harry was referring too, the three resolved to train Harry to defend himself before he left for Hogwarts.  They figured that everyone would dismiss Harry's vision as a simple nightmare.  So they kept the whole matter a secret.  Now it's time for Harry's first year of Hogwarts.  He's been trained in secret to be cunning, strong, and quick-thinking.  So where does he end up: Slytherin.

**Disclaimer:** I own not a thing.  Due to the fact that this story covers one of the years already written, the majority of the events and some of the dialogue comes straight from the book.  

**Thanks to:** snapeysnapesnape for the excellent beta

Chapter One: Et tu, Brutus?

{October 31, 1981}

"Remus, where is my jar of bat droppings?"

"Sirius had it last."

"He's not here; how am I suppose to find it?"  A pause.  "What did he want it for?"

"I don't know, and I don't know."

"Remus."

"Yes?"

"Get your lazy ass off that couch and get in here right now!"

"Yes, Ma'am!" he replied and jumped off the couch.  He entered his companion's workroom.  

"Well, don't just stand there; help me find it!"

"What do you need it for?" Remus asked peering into one of the cabinets.

"Shut-up and keep searching."

"Somebody is in a bad mood." 

A sigh.  "Sorry, Remus.  I've been having a really bad day."  A pause.  "I just have this feeling something awful is going to happen."

"It's your paranoid auror instincts."

"Remus."

"Arabella."

"Shut up and look for the bat droppings."

Snickering.

***

Sirius paced the length of the room.  Five steps.  Turn.  Five steps.  Turn.  He glanced out the window.  Nightfall.  Five steps.  Turn.  Five steps.  Turn.  "Bloody hell!" he yelled.  He grabbed his jacket and ran out of the small cottage.  He couldn't take it.  He needed to know if James, Lily, and Harry were alright.  He jumped on his motorcycle and flew to Peter's home.

***

Peter apparated to his Master's side and disclosed the location of the Potter's home.  His Master disapparated.  Peter sagged in relief.  No curses had been sent his way.  He shuddered.  He had just betrayed his childhood friends.  He had signed their death warrants.  They would die because of him.

***

"It's weird without Sirius here."

"You mean it's quiet for once."

Laughter.

Silence.  "I hope you realize that now I am feeling paranoid."

"Sorry, Remy."

"No, you're not."  A sigh.

"Do you want to go check on Sirius?"

"And lead the Death Eaters to him?  No thanks."

"Fine, then we'll go see Peter."

"You don't like Peter."

"I can tolerate him if it will make you happy."

"Okay, let's go."

Arabella and Remus stood and went to the cheerfully burning fireplace.  A pinch of floo powder and one yelled destination later, found the two standing in Peter's living room.

***

Sirius landed the motorcycle in Peter's yard and quickly ran up to the house.  He banged on the front door.

***

Arabella went to the front door while Remus went looking for Peter.  She was shocked to see Sirius standing there.  "Sirius!  What are you doing here?!"

"Where is Peter?" Sirius demanded.  "Is he here?"

"Remus went to look for him, we just flooed here.  What is going on?"

The two gasped in shock and doubled over with nausea.  "Fuck!" Arabella cursed.

"The charm is down!" Sirius panted.  "Peter betrayed us!"

"Peter?  What are you talking about?"

"He was the secret keeper!"

"Sirius, wait!"

***

"…It's him!  Take Harry and go!…"

***

"JAMES!"  Sirius screamed at the flaming ruins of his best friend's home.  "LILY!"  Over the sounds of the crackling fire, he could hear the screams of a baby.  He ran through the open door and into the blaze.  

"Oh, God," he sobbed.  "James!"  Laying on the floor was the body of his best friend.  "Lily!"  He ran up the stairs, where the sound of the baby was coming from.  He went into the nursery, and found Lily's body laying beside the screaming Harry.  "Harry." He picked up the one-year-old and drew his wand.  He managed to choke out the spell through the smoke and his tears to levitate Lily's body.  He fled the house.

He set Harry next to his mother's body and reentered the house.  He wouldn't leave James in there to burn.  The house collapsed just as he left with James in tow.  He fell to the ground, sobbing, next to their bodies.  He couldn't comfort Harry when he himself so desperately needed comforting.

He heard the pop of a portkey and whirled around, wand drawn to defend the bodies of his friends and their still crying son.  "Hagrid," Sirius choked out.

"Sirius," Hagrid said, shocked to see him there.  He saw the bodies of Lily and James and instantly broke down in tears.  

Sirius picked up Harry.  "Hagrid," he said, his grief beginning to turn into rage.  "Take Harry to Arabella, please.  I have to…" he managed before his breath hitched and he couldn't go on.  Harry was beginning to calm down.  He recognized the arms in which he was held.

"Dumbledore wants me to take Harry to him," Hagrid said in-between great sobbing breaths.

Sirius didn't bother to question how Dumbledore knew Harry was alive.  The old wizard always seemed to know everything.  This wasn't a new situation.  He nodded to Hagrid and passed Harry over.  "I'll be back for him," he promised.  "Take my motorcycle.  I'll apparate."

Hagrid got on the motorcycle and took off.  Sirius looked down at the bodies of Lily and James one more time.  The Ministry would be coming any minute.  He wanted Peter for himself, and he didn't want to be held up by bureaucratic nonsense.  He apparated.

***

Sirius spent all night tracking Peter.  It wasn't until noon the next day that he caught up with the traitor in Muggle London.  Before he realized what was happening, Peter was yelling at him that he betrayed James and Lily.  The spell was cast and the blast wave knocked Sirius off of his feet.  He sat up quickly, Peter was gone.  He had transformed.  The bodies of at least a dozen Muggles littered the street.  His brain slowly caught up with him.  Peter had set him up and faked his death.  Sirius began to laugh.  It was the bitter laugh of someone who knew that no matter what, they would take the fall for another's actions.  He was still laughing when the Ministry showed up.

***

Remus and Arabella stood in Dumbledore's office.  Both were yelling at the old wizard.

"It wasn't Sirius!"  Arabella shouted.

"He said it was Peter!"

"Tell them to stop hunting Sirius!"

Dumbledore stood.  Even his patience had limits.  They fell silent.  "I have just received word that Sirius has killed thirteen people on the streets of London, including Peter.  The rest were Muggles."

"What?" Arabella asked shocked.

"What does that mean?" Remus asked.  "He said…"

"He lied," Dumbledore replied.  "Sirius was James and Lily's secret keeper."

Remus left the office in a daze.  Arabella turned to Dumbledore.  "Are you sure?" she asked quietly.

"What other explanation do we have?" Dumbledore asked tiredly.  "Those were innocent Muggles.  The witnesses said Peter was shouting at him about betraying James and Lily and that Sirius responded by blowing up half the street."

"What about Harry?" she asked after a moment.

"He's with Lily's sister."

Arabella's mouth dropped open in shock.  "You left him with those Muggles?!"

"Yes."

Arabella was speechless.  She turned and left Dumbledore's office before she could give in and yell at the old man once more.

***

Remus stood just inside the main building of the Ministry.  He must have been standing there for ten minutes before someone stopped beside him.  "Remus, you should go home."

Remus looked up and saw Arthur Weasley standing in front of him.  "What?"

"Remus, go home."

"I need to…  I want to hear…" Remus choked.  

Arthur sighed.  "Alright.  Come with me."

Arthur led him down to the sub-basement where the prisoners were kept before trial.  They weren't even going to trial with Sirius Black, but he was there until the mess at Azkaban was straightened out.  Arthur opened the door to the last cell and entered; Remus close behind.

Remus stared at Sirius, and Sirius stared back.  "Why?"

Sirius sank back on the cot, his eyes closing in pain.  

"You killed innocent people and Peter, our friend!  You betrayed James and Lily!  You made Harry an orphan!  Why, Sirius!  Tell me why!"

"I didn't!  I didn't do any of it!"

"Arabella told me you said it was Peter.  You killed Peter and twelve innocent Muggles!  How can it not be you!"

"Peter isn't dead!"

"They found his finger!  That was the biggest piece they could find!"

Sirius chuckled hollowly.  "Clever bastard."

"What?" Remus asked shocked.

He straightened from his slouched position.  "Don't you realize that of any of us, Peter could have faked his death the easiest.  He was the smallest."

Arthur's gaze flicked back and forth between the two former friends, totally confused.  For Remus, however, realization was quick to come.  "Oh, God."

"Yes," Sirius hissed.

"Arthur, we have to dose him with truth potion.  We have to make sure!"  Remus grabbed the other man by his robes, pulling him till their faces were inches apart.  "He has to go to trial, if nothing else!"

***

Remus Lupin, Arabella Figg, Barty Crouch, Albus Dumbledore, Alastor Moody and Sirius Black were in one of the Ministry's interrogation rooms.  Moody was not gentle, by any means, when he dosed the suspected murderer with Veritaserum.

"What is your name?" Crouch asked, a quick-quill scribbling the question down beside him.

"Bartholomew Sirius Black."

"Where did you attend school?"

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Were you the Potter's secret keeper?"

"No."

"Who was their secret keeper?"

"Peter Pettigrew."

"Did you kill Peter Pettigrew?"

"No."

"What happened in the streets of Muggle London when you and Peter met on November 1st?"

"He yelled at me that I had betrayed James and Lily then blew up the street behind him with his wand.  The shockwave knocked me off of my feet.  When I sat up he was gone and there were Muggles dead on the street."

"What do you think he did when you were knocked off of your feet?"

"He transformed into his animagus form and went into the sewers."

"What?" Moody asked, shocked.

 "He transformed into his animagus form and went into the sewers."

"Was Peter Pettigrew an animagus?" Crouch continued.

"Yes."

"What was his form?"

"A rat."

"Was he registered?"

"No."

Dumbledore stepped forward.  "I think we can stop here.  It's obvious that it wasn't Sirius."

Crouch nodded.  "I'll have the aurors on the lookout for Pettigrew."  He glanced at Sirius.  "Your possessions are restored to you, Sirius Black, and your job is restored as well.  We need all of our aurors to gather all of the remaining Death Eaters."

***

Arabella and Remus took Sirius home and made him get in bed.  They sat down on the couch, unsure of what to do.  They weren't sitting there long before Sirius came down.  He held up a hand, stopping them from speaking.  "I can't sleep, so I might as well make myself useful.  Where is Harry?"

"Dumbledore took him to Lily's sister," Arabella replied, cringing.

Sirius ground his teeth together.  "Why didn't you two get him?"

Remus and Arabella looked down at the floor.  "Dumbledore wants him there.  Who are we to argue?"

Sirius stalked out of the room and they jumped up to follow.  "Where are you going?" Remus called after him.

"To get my Godson!"

***

Dumbledore stood in the living room of the Lupin-Black-Figg home.  "Sirius," he tried to reason.

"No.  I'm his Godfather.  He stays with me."  Sirius bounced a giggling Harry on his knee.

"I don't think it would be wise to raise him in the wizarding world.  All this Boy-Who-Lived stuff could go to his head."

"I won't allow that."

"How will you prevent it?"

Sirius glared at him.  "I will.  He is my responsibility.  I will take care of him."

"Know that I disapprove."

"I do."

Dumbledore sighed.  "There is nothing I can do to prevent this."  He sat down heavily on one of the chairs.  "Let me see him," he said and held out his arms.

Sirius smirked and passed Harry to the older man.  Harry found Dumbledore's beard fascinating.  He gave it a few quick tugs.  Sirius laughed.

***

TBC…


	2. Chapter Two: To sleep, perchance to drea...

**Title:** AU: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

**Author:** Artemis Luna Diana

**E-Mail:** artemislunadiana@yahoo.com

**Rating:** PG-13 (cursing)

**Pairing:** none

**Time:** begins the night of James and Lily's deaths and continues through Harry's first year of school

**Summary:** Harry grows up under the watchful eyes of Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and Arabella Figg.  When Harry was still little, he had a nightmare and woke up screaming.  When his guardians arrived in his bedroom, he told them that _he_ would be coming back.  Knowing instinctively who Harry was referring too, the three resolved to train Harry to defend himself before he left for Hogwarts.  They figured that everyone would dismiss Harry's vision as a simple nightmare.  So they kept the whole matter a secret.  Now it's time for Harry's first year of Hogwarts.  He's been trained in secret to be cunning, strong, and quick-thinking.  So where does he end up: Slytherin.

**Disclaimer:** I own not a thing.  Due to the fact that this story covers one of the years already written, the majority of the events and some of the dialogue comes straight from the book.  

**Thanks to:** snapeysnapesnape for the excellent beta

Chapter Two: To sleep, perchance to dream…

In a room, obviously designed with a child in mind, sits a young man in a rocking chair.  The rocking chair has been there since the child was a baby.  While the young man rocks, the child lays in his bed watching the man.  The man is humming at first.  It is time for the child to sleep.  He opens his mouth and begins to sing.

When the evening falls

and the daylight is fading

From within me calls

Could it be I am sleeping?

For a moment I stray

then it holds me completely

Close to home, I cannot say

Close to home, feeling so far away

As I walk the room

there before me a shadow

From another world

where no other can follow

Carry me to my own

To where I can cross over...

Close to home, I cannot say

Close to home, feeling so far away

Forever searching, never right

I am lost in oceans of night

Forever hoping I can find memories

Those memories I left behind

Even though I leave

will I go on believing

that this time is real

- am I lost in this feeling?

Like a child passing through

Never knowing the reason

I am home, I know the way

I am home, feeling oh, so far away

His voice trails off as the song ends.  The child is asleep.  The rocking chair stills.  The man watches the child sleep for a moment before standing and leaving the room.  He shuts the door softly behind him.  Standing in the hallway is a woman the same age as the man.  

"Is he asleep?" she whispers.

"Yes," he softly replies.

The two walk down the stairs in silence.  They enter the kitchen where another man sits at the table with a tub of ice cream and a spoon.

"Is he asleep?" the man asks.

The woman nods as she sits.  The man who sang the child to sleep goes to a drawer and pulls out two spoons.  He returns to the table and hands the woman one of the spoons.  The three sit eating ice cream in silence for awhile.

"I can't ever seem to get him to go to sleep."

"That's because you tell stories that are too exciting for bedtime.  You keep him laughing, and he won't fall asleep," Arabella said around a mouthful of ice cream.

"He always goes to sleep for me," Remus smirked.

"That's because of your pretty voice, you pansy," Sirius replied.

Arabella snickered.  "He goes to sleep for me," she said, taking the empty spoon from her mouth.

"You're a chick," Sirius said, dismissing her achievement.

Remus smirked at her and took a bite out of his ice cream.  She shivered.  "How can you stand that?" she asked.  This was not the first time she asked this particular question.

Remus took another bite of his ice cream and scraped his teeth against the spoon.  Arabella shivered again.  Sirius laughed softly.  "He only does that because he knows it bugs you."

"My teeth are aching in sympathy," Arabella replied.

Remus snorted, trying not to laugh.  This set his companions off.  They were all trying not to laugh.  They did not want to wake Harry up.  They finally managed to control their silent laugher and resumed devouring the bucket of ice cream.  Harry had only been asleep about fifteen minutes when they heard the scream.  

All three jumped up, dropping their spoons.  They thundered up the stairs and into Harry's bedroom.  Harry was sitting up in bed, tears streaming down his cheeks.  He began sobbing in earnest when he saw them enter the room.  Sirius reached the bed first, and picked up Harry, placing him in his lap.  Harry clung to his Godfather while he cried, barely registering that Arabella had sat down beside them and was stroking his back, or that Remus was on his knees in front of them, whispering soothing words of comfort.

When Harry began to calm down, Sirius leaned back a bit so he could look down at Harry's face.  "What happened, Little Prongs?"

Harry hiccupped.

"Was it a nightmare?" Arabella prompted.

Harry nodded.

"Do you want to tell us what it's about?" Remus asked.

Harry shook his head.

They sat in silence, while Harry continued to calm down.  Finally as Harry's breathing began to level out and deepen, Sirius carefully placed him back in his bed and pulled the covers up, tucking him in.

"He's gonna come back," Harry said softly, his breath hitching in fear.

"What?" Arabella asked.

"He hurt Mama and Daddy."  Harry curled up in a ball under the covers.  "He's gonna come back."

The three adults had similar shocked looks on their faces.  They hadn't said anything to Harry about how his parents had died.  They hadn't felt that he was old enough.  Somehow, Harry knew that someone had hurt his parents, and he said that _he_ was coming back.  This was not good.

***

"What do we do?" Arabella asked.

"What can we do?" Remus countered.  "Who is going to believe us?  They'll say that Harry must have overheard us talking and that it was a simple nightmare."

"If Harry's right and You-Know-Who is coming back, Harry is going to be on the top of his hit list," Sirius broke in.  "We need to do something that will help protect Harry."

They sat in silence, thinking.  "We have to teach Harry how to defend himself," Arabella said finally.  "If we teach him now, then by the time he gets to Hogwarts he'll be able to hold his own until help arrives or he can escape.  We keep him here otherwise.  We can't let him out in the open."

"If we are going to isolate him, we should move," Remus said.  "Somewhere out in the middle of nowhere."

"That would be better for us anyway," Sirius said nodding.  "We wouldn't have to apparate to some forest for the full-moons; we could stay near the house."

"How much do we teach him though?" Remus asked.

"How much do the Slytherins usually know before they begin?" Sirius asked turning to Arabella.

"It depends on who it is.  What their parents' professions were was usually what they knew.  I knew fourth-level charms and hexes."

"Yeah, we knew that," Remus said dryly.

"Trust us; we knew," Sirius added.

"As your favorite victims," Remus continued.

"We knew," Sirius finished.

Arabella glared at them.  "Considering there are three of us and we all have different strengths, we should be able to teach Harry a large number of things."

Sirius nodded.  "I can teach him charms, hexes, and transfiguration."

"Right, and I can cover potions and herbology," Arabella continued.

"I can do magical creatures," Remus said shrugging.  "Shouldn't be too difficult.  I could cover history and whatnot, too, if you wanted."

"That might not be a bad idea," Arabella said, tapping her fingers against her chin.

"When should we begin?" Remus asked.

"We can start training when he's six.  Any younger is too young.  We'll start with knowledge and when he's eight we can move into practical lessons," Arabella replied.

"What about a wand though?  What did you use?" Remus asked.

"I used my parents' wands."

"Okay, basically we know what we're doing," Sirius said.  "Anybody got any land the others don't know about?"

"My brother and his family are in my old home," Arabella sighed.

"Sold mine when we bought this place," Remus replied.

"Well, I suppose there's always Black Manor," Sirius said glumly.

Remus and Arabella had similar expressions of distaste on their faces.  Sirius frowned.  "What if we tore down the old house and rebuilt it?"

"You want to tear down your ancestral home?" Arabella asked shocked.  "I know that we all hate it, but it's been in your family for generations!"

"Why not?"  Sirius said shrugging.  "No one is going to live in it anyway.  It's just going to sit there empty."  Sirius leaned forward slightly.  "We could design our own house."

Remus and Arabella leaned forward as well.  "That's true," Remus said softly, his eyes glinting with glee.

"We could have a lot of fun with this," Arabella added, a grin spreading across her face.

***

Remus, Sirius, Arabella, and Harry moved into the new Black Manor three months later.  The manor had three floors above ground, two below, four wings, and four towers.  The sub-basement was the only unfinished part of the house.  It would be where the majority of Harry's training would occur, so they would build it themselves.  They didn't want anyone to know what it looked like.  

The basement was where Arabella's workroom was along with the house elves' living quarters and some storage rooms.  The main floor had the kitchen, the formal living room, the informal living room, two formal dining rooms, five bathrooms, the drawing room, the billiard room, the ball room, and the foyer.  The second floor contained the library and only the library.  The Black family had been collecting books for centuries, and Arabella's extensive collection was added as well.  The rest of the house was divided into the four wings: one for each member of the house.  The four towers contained the bedroom suite of whomever the wing belonged to.  The rest of each wing held four spare bedroom suites for guests, a workroom or playroom, a study, a formal living room, an informal living room, and two empty rooms for later usage.  Remus used one to create a music room for himself.

The six ghosts that had been a part of the original manor were now haunting the new one.  While most of the furniture and paintings had been disposed of and replaced, the family did keep the hall of family portraits, which would complain to anyone who bothered to listen that the old manor was better.

Black Manor was situated in the center of a fairly large forest.  There were charms all over the forest and the manor itself to keep Muggles away.  The nearest wizard's home was an hour away by broomstick.  They were completely isolated.

The first night, while Harry slept, Arabella, Remus, and Sirius cast wards all over the property.  Anti-apparation wards prevented anyone from apparating or disapparating within a kilometer of the house.  The floo was closed off from the main part of the network.  While it was possible to go anywhere from the manor, to reach the manor you had to be in certain fireplaces: any at Hogwarts and the fireplace in the main part of the aurors' building.  Even if you were at these fireplaces, only certain people would be admitted into the house: Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall and Mundungus Fletcher.  The rest would be sent to the Leaky Cauldron.

With two highly-paid aurors and a family heritance to go through, the family was not wanting for anything.  Remus stayed at home and took care of Harry while Arabella and Sirius worked.  When it came time for the full moon, Arabella and Sirius switched who stayed with Harry during the day so Remus could rest.  Arabella, since she wasn't an animagus, stayed in the house with Harry during the night while Remus and Sirius went into the woods.  It took awhile before Arabella was able to successfully brew the Wolfsbane Potion.  Once she did, the full moons became easier for everyone.

It seemed as though one night they fell asleep and the next morning Harry was six.  It was time to begin teaching their dependent to protect himself.  

***

TBC…

A/N: The song that Remus sings to Harry is 'Evening Falls' by Enya.


	3. Chapter Three: I think, therefore I am

**Title:** AU: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

**Author:** Artemis Luna Diana

**E-Mail:** artemislunadiana@yahoo.com

**Rating:** PG-13 (cursing)

**Pairing:** none

**Time:** begins the night of James and Lily's deaths and continues through Harry's first year of school

**Summary:** Harry grows up under the watchful eyes of Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and Arabella Figg.  When Harry was still little, he had a nightmare and woke up screaming.  When his guardians arrived in his bedroom, he told them that _he_ would be coming back.  Knowing instinctively who Harry was referring too, the three resolved to train Harry to defend himself before he left for Hogwarts.  They figured that everyone would dismiss Harry's vision as a simple nightmare.  So they kept the whole matter a secret.  Now it's time for Harry's first year of Hogwarts.  He's been trained in secret to be cunning, strong, and quick-thinking.  So where does he end up: Slytherin.

**Disclaimer:** I own not a thing.  Due to the fact that this story covers one of the years already written, the majority of the events and some of the dialogue comes straight from the book.  

**Thanks to:** snapeysnapesnape for the excellent beta

Chapter Three: I think, therefore I am.

Harry was six and a half.  For three months he had been learning about various herbs and whatnot from Arabella.  He would sit in her workroom and listen to her lecture as she brewed various potions.  He had quill and ink so he could take notes (it had taken three months before Arabella was satisfied with his writing abilities).  At first, Harry hadn't been very interested.  He thought the whole thing was rather dull, even if she had turned Sirius completely lime green with one of her potions.  It just wasn't as fun as flying or playing exploding snap or something else similar.  Or, that's what he thought until she got distracted and blew up her cauldron.  Harry thought that the exploding cauldron was so fascinating that he practically ate up whatever she said.

During this time, Harry happened to walk in while Remus was playing his violin.  When Harry expressed an interest, Remus offered to teach him.  So Harry was soon learning to play the violin.  He struggled with it a bit.  Got frustrated, put it down for a few weeks, before coming back and picking it up again.  After a few rocky months, Harry settled into learning the instrument.

When Harry turned seven, Remus began teaching him some basic wizard history.  He also began teaching Harry about magical creatures.  When Harry was about seven and a half, Remus began including dark creatures.  He covered werewolves in one of his lectures and told Harry that he was one.  Harry thought that it was extremely interesting and was disappointed that he couldn't go with Remus when he transformed.

While Remus and Arabella were feeding Harry's brain, Sirius began teaching Harry Muggle fighting techniques up to and including fencing.  They wanted Harry to be able to defend himself in any situation.  If someone had known what they were doing, they would have labeled the whole family as ultra-paranoid.

When Harry turned eight, Sirius began teaching him the simpler charms, for example: _lumos_.  When Harry was about eight and a half, they moved on to the simple hexes like the leg-locker curse.  While that was funny and even interesting to him, Harry preferred Arabella's potions lessons.  Once he turned eight, just as she promised, the potions lessons became practical as well as theoretical.  

While Harry was rapidly become well-versed in magic and defense, his guardians were not forgetting to make sure that he had fun.  The record of the household for least number of pranks played in one day was twenty-six.  Harry enjoyed flying as well.  He played chess with Arabella, exploding snap with Remus, and Muggle card-games with Sirius.  He read for pleasure as well as studying.  His guardians were determined that Harry would be very well-rounded even if he wasn't able to hang around other children.

By the time Harry turned eleven, he more or less had formed his personality.  He was intelligent, but quiet.  He was more likely to think and then act rather than the opposite.  He was very patient and meticulous.  He was athletic but studious.  His passion lay in potions, his music, and flying.  Around those he was comfortable with, he was teasing and joking.  Around those he didn't know so well, he was silent and played the observer, as his one meeting with Albus Dumbledore proved.  

Harry was nine when he met the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  While Remus, Sirius and Arabella were content to chat with the older wizard, Harry sat watching the proceedings and never volunteered any information.  When asked a question, he kept his answers simple and to the point.  It wasn't until after Dumbledore had been there for nearly four hours that Harry began to truly speak to him.  

Dumbledore found himself very impressed with Harry.  He wasn't arrogant or shy; he was cautious, which for the Boy-Who-Lived was a very good thing.  Dumbledore also figured that Harry was getting a little bit of tutoring from Arabella.  After all, the woman was a Slytherin.  He, however, had no idea that Harry's guardians were training him with the thought in mind that Voldemort would be coming back.

A tawny owl brought Harry his letter from Hogwarts.

***

Harry lay on his bed reading.  His tower was on the west-side of the house and the sunlight was just beginning to stream in from the small balcony where he had set up his telescope.  It was a fairly large room and reflected his nature.  There was a large bookcase full of his favorite books that he'd swiped from the library as well as ones he had been given for his birthday and for Christmas.  A Nimbus 2000 was hung on the wall above his desk.  The trunk at the foot of his bed was full to the brim with tricks and jokes.  A photo of his parents waved to him from his dresser, along with a photo of Remus, Sirius and Arabella.  Spread out on his desk were his Chocolate Frog Cards.  The house-elves made sure that his clothes didn't litter the floor.  The walls of his room were dark grey and his bedspread was black.  His furniture was made of wood that was a soft, almost white color.  On the walls were pictures of magical beasts: a dragon (Hebridean Black), a griffin, a gargoyle, an imp, a chimaera and a serpent.  All of his potions materials were downstairs in Arabella's workroom.

Harry looked up when something flew in from the balcony.  He grinned when he spotted the owl.  He knew exactly what this was about.  He dropped the book onto the bed and jumped up.  He collected the letter from the owl and it took off back out the window.  Harry plopped back down on the bed and almost reverently opened the letter.

Downstairs, Arabella, Sirius and Remus were attempting to construct a house of cards without using magic.  The house was the first to fall when they heard a scream coming from Harry's tower.  Remus was the next to fall as he tripped over the table trying to leave the room.  Sirius tripped over Remus and smashed into Arabella.  While they were still trying to untangle themselves, Harry came bounding into the room.

"I got my letter!  I got my letter!"  He sang.  It seemed to take him a minute before he realized his guardians were in a pile on the floor.  He looked down at them smirking.  "Is there something you need to tell me?"

"Off!  Get off!" Arabella yelled.

Sirius scrambled to obey, stepping on Remus' hand in the process.  "OW! My hand!  My hand!"  Sirius managed to collapse into one of the chairs and lifted his feet off the ground.  He glanced over at his friends.  Remus was still sitting on the floor, nursing his injured hand and glaring at him.  Arabella was sitting on the couch, arms folded across her chest, glaring at him.  

Sirius scowled.  "You know I wasn't the first one to fall so stop glaring at me.  It wasn't my fault."

The three turned and looked at the source of laughter.  Harry couldn't take it anymore, he was rolling on the floor laughing.  "You think it's funny do you?" Sirius said evilly.  "I'll give you something to laugh about!" he cried and pounced on his Godson.  "Let the tickle fest begin!"  More laughter was intermixed with screams and pleas for mercy.

"Wait! Wait!  I got my letter!" Harry gasped out between laughing fits.

Sirius sat up.  "So that's what the scream was about."  Sirius snatched the slightly rumpled letter from Harry's hand.  "Let's see."  Sirius skimmed over it before glancing over at Remus.  "It seems like only yesterday I received my letter.  I remember fondly those days.  Playing pranks, chasing girls, playing pranks, getting detention, playing pranks –"  Remus cut him off before he could continue.

"I'll take you to Diagon Alley tomorrow to get your things."

Harry's grin spread wider.  "Okay!"

"Now remember, Harry," Arabella said.  "When you get to Hogwarts, you want to be in Slytherin."

"You most certainly do not!" Sirius yelled.  "You want Gryffindor!"

"Convince the Sorting Hat to put you in Ravenclaw and piss them both off," Remus said with a smirk.

Harry started laughing again.

***

"Nervous?"

"Nah, maybe a little apprehensive.  I've never been around so many people at once, not to mention that they will all be strangers."

"I wouldn't worry, Harry," Remus said comfortingly.  

"Leaky Cauldron?"

"Leaky Cauldron."

Harry took a pinch of floo powder and threw it into the fire.  He stepped in and shouted his destination.  He stumbled a bit as he landed in the pub by Diagon Alley.  Harry turned and saw Remus appear.  Remus reached out and began dusting off Harry.  When Harry was relatively soot free, Remus began dusting himself off and walking towards the entrance to Diagon Alley.  He gave an absent hello to the man behind the bar as he passed.

Harry remained silent, watching those in the pub, as he walked.  When they reached the brick wall and Remus began tapping bricks, Harry spoke.  "They were staring at me.  Do they do that to everyone?  Or did they recognize me?"

Remus shrugged.  "I never notice those things, Harry," he said with a slight smile.  "It could be either."

"Hmm."

They entered Diagon Alley.

"Whoa."

Remus smiled.  "This is Diagon Alley.  Pretty cool, huh?"

"I'll say!  I'm glad we came this way!"  Harry flashed him a grin.  "Where can we go first?"

"First, we go to Gringotts." 

Harry nodded, still grinning.  "Okay."

Remus, Sirius and Arabella had legally combined their respective fortunes and all of their money was pooled into one large account.  The money that James and Lily had left for Harry would be Harry's alone, and they would give him the key to that vault when he graduated from Hogwarts.  Until then, they would pay for his every need.  

Twenty minutes later, Remus and Harry reappeared from the bank.  Both had somewhat maniacal grins on their faces.  The carts were like roller-coasters and, to the Marauders, were always a blast.  "Let's see," Remus said and glanced down at Harry's list.  "Robes first?"

"Okay."

So off they went to 'Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions'.  Madam Malkin greeted them cheerfully and led Harry to the back to be measured.  Remus followed along chatting with the seamstress.  Harry rolled his eyes, Remus was a well-known flirt.  After the measurements were done and the robes completed, Remus and Harry left the shop.

"Where to?" Harry asked.

"How about we pick up your parchment and quills, then the bookstore?"

"Okay."

After collecting parchment, quill and ink, the duo entered 'Flourish and Blotts'.  Harry's eyes rounded and his mouth dropped open.  Remus glanced at him and smiled.  "You're drooling."

"Can I…" his voice trailed off.

"You can get the books on your list and three others."  Remus smiled at the look of utter joy on Harry's face.  "Why don't I get your school books and you pick out your three extras, okay?"

"Thanks, Remus!" Harry said and bounded off giggling.   

They were in the bookstore for over a half an hour before Harry returned to Remus with three books in hand: _'Curses and Counter-curses' _by Professor Vindictus Viridian, _'Potions and their Masters'_ by Alara Keys, _'The Twenty Most Mind-Boggling Potions of All Time'_ by Professor Eileen Porter.  Remus looked at the titles and smiled.  

Harry grinned happily as Remus paid for the books.  "Where are we going next?"

"Well as you already have a pewter cauldron, scales, a telescope, and plenty of potions ingredients, we can skip all that," Remus said looking at the list.  "That just leaves your owl and your wand."

Harry grinned.  "I get an owl?"

Remus laughed.  "Come on, Harry.  You didn't think we'd let you out of our sight without some means of communication did you?"

Harry giggled.  "No, I suppose not.  Where do we go to get an owl?"

"Eeylops Owl Emporium," Remus said and gestured to the store.

Ten minutes later, they emerged with a snowy owl, snoozing with her head under her wing.  Harry was wearing a happy grin.  The last stop was his wand.  He'd been waiting for this day since he was eight and began learning wand magic.  It was on to Ollivanders.

When they entered, Harry was treated to the details of his parents' wands, Voldemort's wand, and Remus' before being measured for his own.  Then began the testing of wands.  Ten minutes later, Harry was still wandless, and Mr. Ollivander was cheerfully searching for different wands.

"Try this – holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

Mr. Ollivander was tickled pink when the wand proved itself to be Harry's.  Then his smile faded slightly as he realized something.  "Well, well, well… how curious… how very curious…"

Harry asked what was so curious, and Mr. Ollivander explained the relationship between Harry's wand and the wand of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.  Harry and Remus exchanged identical 'this-can't-be-good' looks.  They paid for the wand and left the shop.

With his wand resting in his pocket, Harry and Remus left Diagon Alley and traveled by floo to the Aurors' Ministry building.  This was the first time that Harry had ever been there.  Remus had shrunk all of their purchases and cast a feather-weight charm on them, so the only thing they were carrying was Harry's owl.  

Harry glanced around the main hall.  It was rather bare, other than the portraits of the Ministry's greatest aurors.  The reality had not lived up to his expectations.  Remus handed him some floo powder and Harry tossed into the fire.  He stepped in and shouted, "Black Manor!"  As much fun as the day had been, he was relieved to be home.

***

Harry poured the Pepper-Up Potion from his cauldron into a flask.  He set the cauldron back down, capped the flask, and sealed it, placing his mark in the drying wax.  Arabella had taught him to always mark his potions, even if they weren't perfect.  She had given him a ring, which he wore on the first finger of his left hand, which had his chosen symbol embossed on it.  It was that ring that he used to mark his completed potions.

The ring was made of platinum and charmed to be wearable by only him.  It also changed its size as he grew so that it always fit.  The symbol was composed of his initials inscribed over a phoenix with a coiled serpent below.  Harry was rather proud of his choice.

"Can I take a few of my potions with me?" he asked as he placed the flask in his cabinet.  He looked over all the potions he had made and kept.  Some of them were rather complex and others fairly simple.

Arabella glanced over at him.  "Which ones did you want to take?"

"Well, the Pepper-Up Potion I just made, umm… Dreamless Sleep isn't a bad one to have…" Harry said, shifting some of the flasks over to see the potions behind them.

Arabella walked over and placed her hands on his shoulders.  "The school will give you those potions if you need them, Harry.  What's wrong?"

His shoulders slumped, but he didn't turn around.  "I don't know.  I guess I'm nervous… maybe a little scared.  I want to be prepared for anything."

She pulled him back towards her in a hug.  "Harry, you've got nothing to be worried about.  We all were a little nervous and a little scared when we first went to Hogwarts.  It's nothing to be embarrassed about.  You'll do fine.  You are very prepared for anything that could happen.  You know everything you can to defend yourself.  I can honestly say that you will know more than any of your fellow first-years, including the Slytherins."

"You know I'm probably going to end up in Slytherin, don't you?" Harry asked seriously, turning in her embrace to look at her face.

"Of course," she smirked.  "How could you not?"

"Sirius is going to be mad at me.  Anytime he brings up Hogwarts he praises the Gryffindors and insults the Slytherins."

Arabella sighed.  "No, he won't.  He's come a long way since we were in school.  He's living with a Slytherin for Merlin's sake!"  She laughed and released him so she could shut the cabinet.  She placed her arm around his shoulders and led him out of the room towards the main part of the house.  "He doesn't think that all Slytherins are bad, though he does have high opinions of the Gryffindors that I think are a little naive.  He won't be mad; he loves you, Harry.  As long as you're happy wherever you end up, he'll be happy."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

"Thanks, Arabella."

"You're welcome, Harry."

***

TBC…


	4. Chapter Four: You ain’t got nothing, if ...

**Title:** AU: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

**Author:** Artemis Luna Diana

**E-Mail:** artemislunadiana@yahoo.com

**Rating:** PG-13 (cursing)

**Pairing:** none

**Time:** begins the night of James and Lily's deaths and continues through Harry's first year of school

**Summary:** Harry grows up under the watchful eyes of Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and Arabella Figg.  When Harry was still little, he had a nightmare and woke up screaming.  When his guardians arrived in his bedroom, he told them that _he_ would be coming back.  Knowing instinctively who Harry was referring too, the three resolved to train Harry to defend himself before he left for Hogwarts.  They figured that everyone would dismiss Harry's vision as a simple nightmare.  So they kept the whole matter a secret.  Now it's time for Harry's first year of Hogwarts.  He's been trained in secret to be cunning, strong, and quick-thinking.  So where does he end up: Slytherin.

**Disclaimer:** I own not a thing.  Due to the fact that this story covers one of the years already written, the majority of the events and some of the dialogue comes straight from the book.  

**Thanks to:** snapeysnapesnape for the excellent beta

Chapter Four: You ain't got nothing, if you ain't got friends.

"I think I'm going to be sick."

"Oh, no you don't!"

"If I throw-up it's your fault."

"Do we have everything?"

"I think I'm going to pass out."

"Drink this."

Swallow.  "What did I just drink?"

"It'll help your nausea."

"It will get better once we're at the platform."

"Sirius!  Come on!"

"I'm coming!"

"Harry, take some floo powder."

"What if I fall on my face?"

"Just go on, we're right behind you."

Harry disappeared into the floo network.

"What did you give him?"

"A confidence potion."

"I don't think it's working."

Remus stepped into the fire.

"Sirius!  Harry and Remus are already gone!"

"I'm coming!"

Arabella stepped into the fire.

Harry and Remus were waiting patiently off to the side as she appeared.  She made her way over to them.  "Why does it seem like there are more people here than normal?" she yelled over the noise.

"Because there are more students than when we were at school!  Where's Sirius?"

"He's coming!"

"Well, he'd better hurry up!  I'm going deaf!  I want to get away from the floo entrances!  It'll be quieter elsewhere!"

"There he is!" Harry yelled and pointed to the emerging auror.

The group made their way away from the noisy floo entrances and over to the quieter parts of Platform 9¾.  Harry drew his wand and cast a levitation spell on his trunk and put it on the train in one of the empty compartments.  He placed his owl's cage on top of his trunk and got off the train.  He walked back to Remus, Sirius and Arabella.

"It's all on there," he said unnecessarily.

"Our little baby is all grown up and off to school," Sirius pretended to sob.  "Whatever shall we do without him?" he collapsed into Remus' arms.  

Remus sighed.  "I'll give you two seconds and then I'll drop you."

Sirius continued to fake crying but moved out of Remus' arms and onto Harry.  "We'll miss you, so much!"

Arabella dragged Sirius off of the laughing Harry.  "You're to owl us when you get there and tell us what house you've been sorted into," Arabella said smiling.

Sirius straightened up and forgot about his pretend crying.  "What are you talking about?  He'll be in Gryffindor, just like his Dad!"

"Here we go again," Remus said and dropped his head into his hands.

"You know very well I'll be sorted into Hufflepuff," Harry said calmly, causing Sirius and Arabella's argument to halt abruptly.

"Never mind, Harry.  If you want to be in Slytherin, I'm behind you all the way.  Just don't get sorted into Hufflepuff," Sirius said sternly.

Remus started laughing.  "If I had known that was all it took, I'd have ended your bickering ages ago."

The whistle on the train blew.  "Better get going, Harry," Arabella said softly.  "You don't want to miss the train."

Harry hugged them all and kissed Arabella on the cheek.  He ran over to the train and hopped on.  He turned around and waved at them before going all the way in.  The three stood watching until the train began to move.  They turned and walked over to the floo entrances; it was going to be odd not having Harry around.

***

Harry reentered the compartment he'd placed his stuff and found a red-headed boy sitting in there.  The boy looked up at his entrance.  "Hello."

"Hello," Harry replied and sat down.  

"My name's Ron, Ron Weasley."

"Harry Potter."

Ron's mouth dropped open in shock.  "You're Harry Potter?"

Harry nodded and reached up to lift his hair from out of his face.  On his forehead, the lightning bolt scar was clearly visible.  He lowered his hand and opened his trunk to take out one of his books.  He turned so that his back was to the side of the seat and stretched his legs out over the empty bench.  He leaned back so he was resting comfortably and opened the book.

"What are you reading?" Ron asked after awhile.

"_'Potions and their Masters'_ by Alara Keys," Harry replied without looking up.

"Was that on our list?" Ron asked shocked.

"No.  I picked it up because I like potions."

"Oh."

They sat in silence awhile.

"Do you like Quidditch?"

Harry glanced over at his companion.  "Who doesn't?"

"Who's your team?"

"Falmouth Falcons."

"The Falcons?  Mine's the Cannons."

" 'Let's all just keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.' " Harry asked smiling slightly in amusement.

Ron scowled.  "They're just having a bit of bad luck."

"Right," Harry replied and resumed reading.

There was silence again.

"You don't talk much do you?"

"When I'm not reading, I have been known to have a conversation or two."

"So stop reading."

Harry sighed and closed the book.  He looked over at Ron.  "Talk."

"What house do you think you'll be sorted into?"

"I honestly don't know.  It could be Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin.  I truly doubt I'll be sorted into Hufflepuff."

"That doesn't bother you?"

"What?"

"That you could be sorted into Slytherin.  That house has turned out more dark wizards than any other.  They say that's the house You-Know-Who was in."

"No.  It doesn't bother me.  My Dad was in Gryffindor.  My Mum was in Ravenclaw.  Remus and Sirius, two of my guardians, were in Gryffindor, and Arabella, my other guardian, was in Slytherin.  I couldn't care less which of three I ended up in.  Though, Arabella and I both believe it will be Slytherin."

"Oh.  I guess I can see why that wouldn't bother you.  My whole family is in Gryffindor.  I figure that's where I'll be, unless I end up in Hufflepuff.  That would be horrible."

Harry smiled slightly.  There was a knock on the door and it opened to reveal a plump little witch.  "Anything off the cart, dears?"

Harry stood up.  "Yes, please."  He bought about two dozen chocolate frogs.  "Thanks," he said, smiling at the witch.

"You're welcome, dear."

Harry sat back down and opened one of the frogs.  Absently he caught the frog as he picked up the card.  "Bugger.  Dumbledore.  I have six of him."  Harry looked over at Ron.  "You're welcome to have a few frogs," he offered.

"Thanks!"

They hadn't been sitting there for too much longer when the door opened to reveal a slightly pudgy boy.  He was looking for his toad and left nearly in tears when they said they hadn't seen it.  "Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron.  "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it quick as I could.  Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk." Ron said and pulled a fat rat from his pocket.  "What's the name of your owl?"

"Hedwig."

"Oh." Ron looked back down at his rat.  "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work.  I'll show you, look…" 

He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out his wand.  "Sunshine, daisies…" was as far as he got before Harry started laughing.  "What?"

"I can tell you right now, that is not a spell."

"Fred and George gave it to me," he sighed.  "I knew it was a dud."

The door to their compartment opened.  The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him.  She was already wearing her new Hogwarts school robes.  "Has anyone seen a toad?  Neville's lost one," she said.  She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.

"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but she wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.

"Oh, are you doing magic?  Let's see it, then." She sat down.

"Uh," Ron stuttered.

Harry rolled his eyes and drew his wand.  "_Wingardium Leviosa_."  Scabbers, who was still sitting in Ron's lap, began to float upwards.

The girl smiled at him.  "I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me, too.  Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard – I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough – I'm Hermione Granger by the way, who are you?"

Harry allowed Scabbers to float back down into Ron's lap before replying.  "Harry Potter.  That's Ron Weasley."

"Are you really?" said Granger.  "I know all about you, of course – I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in _Modern Magical History_ and _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ and _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_."

"I know; my Godfather took great delight in reading those portions out loud to me," Harry replied with a wry smile.

Granger giggled.  "Do either of you know what house you'll be in?  I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad.… Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad.  You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."  And she left, taking the toadless boy with her.

"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron.  He dropped his wand back into his trunk with a sigh.

Harry put his wand up.  "It's alright, Ron.  You're only a first-year, it's okay to be fooled."

"You weren't."

"I was raised by a Slytherin," Harry replied as if that explained everything.  And it did.

The door to their compartment opened again.  They glanced up, expecting to see Granger and the toadless boy again.  Instead it was three boys: two bulky ones on either side of a petite blonde.  The blonde glanced at both of them.  "Is it true?" he asked.  "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment.  So it's you, is it?"  His gaze rested on Harry.

"Yes," said Harry.  He was looking at the other boys.  Both of them were thickset and extremely mean.  Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said Draco carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking.  Harry recognized both names as belonging to Death Eaters.  "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger.  Draco looked at him. 

"Think my name's funny, do you?  No need to ask who you are.  My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."  He turned to Harry.  "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter.  You don't want to go making the wrong sort.  I can help you there."  He held out his hand.

"What makes you think I can't figure that out for myself?" Harry asked with a slight smile on his face.  "And what makes you think you are the right sort?"  Harry gave a soft laugh.  "After all, your father was a Death Eater."

Malfoy stiffened and withdrew his hand.  "Watch yourself, Potter.  You might regret what could happen to you."

"Oh, was that a threat?" Harry asked, still at ease.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed.  "Let's go," he said to his companions.  The three left without another word.

Harry smirked at the closed door.  He glanced over at Ron and was surprised to see him staring at him with his mouth open.  "What?"

"You just called Lucius Malfoy a Death Eater to his son."

"So?"

Ron shook his head and dropped the subject.  They sat in silence for a bit before the compartment door opened again.  Harry sighed.  "They come in, they go out, they come in, they go out."  He looked at Granger, the one who opened the door.  "Can't you all make up your minds?"  He flashed her a smile, so she'd know he was teasing.

She smiled back at him.  "I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there.  You two had better change into your robes."

"Thanks, Granger."

"You're welcome, Potter."

Harry stood and got out his robes, and Ron did the same, while Granger left.  They had just finished putting on their robes when a voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time.  Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately."

Harry could barely keep still in anticipation.  Soon the train slowed to a stop, and they climbed off.  They followed a huge man, who Harry figured was a half-giant which meant that, according to his guardians, this was Hagrid, down to the edge of a great big lake.  Perched up on top of a hill was Hogwarts.

They made their way across the lake and up to the castle, Hagrid knocked three times on the large door.  The door swung open at once.  A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there.  

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid.  I will take them from here."

She led them through the entrance hall and to a small chamber.  Harry listened with half-an-ear to her introduction lecture.  After she left, Ron turned to Harry.  "How do you think we get sorted?  Fred and George said something about wrestling a troll."

"You just put a hat on," he replied absently.  Sirius had tried to convince him that he had to sing, before Remus and Arabella chewed him out for scaring his Godson.  Arabella had told him in no uncertain terms exactly what the sorting ceremony entailed.

"That's a relief," Ron said with a sigh.

After a brief incident with some of the castle's ghosts, they were led into the Great Hall.  McGonagall placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years and placed a tattered hat on top.  The hat sang its song to much applause before Professor McGonagall began calling out names. 

Harry studied the hall while he waited, only paying attention when certain names were called.  Granger ended up in Gryffindor, Malfoy ended up in Slytherin.  When his name was called, he noticed that the hall broke out into whispers.  He walked up to the stool and placed the hat on his head.

"Very brave, intelligent, but cunning and sneaky.  Oh, and it looks like you've had a bit of extra training… there's only one place for you," the hat whispered to him.  "SLYTHERIN!" it bellowed to the hall.

The hall was in shock for a moment, _Harry Potter in Slytherin?_ before the Slytherin table erupted in cheers.  Harry smiled happily and walked to the Slytherin table.  He sat down a few seats away from Malfoy; he didn't want to have anything to do with the Death Eater's son.

He watched as Ron was sorted into Gryffindor.  Ron sat down and the two exchanged uncertain looks.  They both knew of their house's rivalries, and one train ride wasn't that big of a deal in the long run.  Harry sighed softly.  Their supposed friendship wouldn't last a week.

Once the last student was sorted, Professor Dumbledore stood.  "Welcome!" he said.  "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts!  Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words.  And here they are: Nitwit!  Blubber!  Oddment!  Tweak!  Thank you!"  He sat back down to applause.  

Harry listened to the conversations around him without bothering to contribute to them.  He ate in attentive silence.  The boy sitting across from him was doing the same he noticed, and looked up slightly to study him.  The boy must have felt his eyes on him because he turned to meet his gaze.  They studied each other a bit before twin smiles broke out.  They had each found someone similar to themselves.

The boy lifted his hand and held it out to Harry.  "Blaise Zabini."

"Harry Potter."  Harry accepted the offered hand and gave it a brief, but firm shake.  They resumed eating, but didn't talk.  There would be time enough later for that; right now, it was time to study their fellow house-mates.

Harry was pleasantly stuffed and decidedly sleepy when Professor Dumbledore stood again.  He gave a few start-of-term notices, including a rather odd one to avoid the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side.  

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore.  "Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"

Harry didn't sing, and he noticed that neither did Blaise.  They listened to their school mates make fools of themselves, taking notice of who else didn't sing.  Harry noticed one of the teachers wasn't singing, and scattered in and about the Slytherin table were silent students.  Some of his fellow first-years in other houses were too shy to sing.  

The students were all finishing at different times, and soon all that was left was two red-headed Gryffindor boys, whom Harry assumed were related to Ron Weasley.  They had been singing a very slow funeral march.  Dumbledore conducted their last few lines and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.  Harry found himself smiling in amusement.  They were entertaining if nothing else.

The first-years stood and followed the Slytherin Prefect, Marcus Flint, out of the Great Hall.  They were led down to the dungeons, where the entrance to the Slytherin dorms was.  They stopped at a simple stone wall.  "The password is '_parselmouth_,'" the older Slytherin said with a smirk.  A hidden door slid open.  They followed him into the Slytherin Common Room.

Flint directed them to their respective domiciles and left them to their own devices.  There were six Slytherin first year boys.  Harry claimed his bed before anyone else could say a word.  He wanted the bed on the far end, so as to have only one boy sleeping beside him.  Blaise claimed the bed next to him while Malfoy was still trying to get over his shock that he hadn't been allowed to pick his bed first.  Malfoy picked the second bed from the end and Goyle and Crabbe picked the beds on either side of him, leaving Thomas Nott with the bed beside Blaise.  

Harry said goodnight to Blaise and shut the curtains on his bed.  He cast a few warding charms and a proximity warning charm.  He needed to protect himself with four Death Eater children in the room.  Harry was asleep soon after, his dreams undisturbed by nightmares.

***

TBC…

A/N: just in case anyone is a little confused about Malfoy still saying: "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making the wrong sort…" Everyone in the wizarding world knows that Harry grew up with Sirius, Remus, and Arabella; however, they also know that Harry was isolated from everyone. He's never met anyone besides Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Fletcher (the three people allowed to floo to the Manor). Draco realizes that he can take advantage of Harry's ignorance, because he assumes that no one has really told Harry anything. Harry's reply reveals that he knows exactly who he can and cannot trust.

~Artemis Luna Diana~


	5. Chapter Five: If man were meant to fly, ...

**Title:** AU: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

**Author:** Artemis Luna Diana

**E-Mail:** artemislunadiana@yahoo.com

**Rating:** PG-13 (cursing)

**Pairing:** none

**Time:** begins the night of James and Lily's deaths and continues through Harry's first year of school

**Summary:** Harry grows up under the watchful eyes of Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and Arabella Figg.  When Harry was still little, he had a nightmare and woke up screaming.  When his guardians arrived in his bedroom, he told them that _he_ would be coming back.  Knowing instinctively who Harry was referring too, the three resolved to train Harry to defend himself before he left for Hogwarts.  They figured that everyone would dismiss Harry's vision as a simple nightmare.  So they kept the whole matter a secret.  Now it's time for Harry's first year of Hogwarts.  He's been trained in secret to be cunning, strong, and quick-thinking.  So where does he end up: Slytherin.

**Disclaimer:** I own not a thing.  Due to the fact that this story covers one of the years already written, the majority of the events and some of the dialogue comes straight from the book.  

**Thanks to:** the folks at the HP Lexicon, I looked up info on students and dates to make sure I was correct in what I remembered, and to snapeysnapesnape for the excellent beta

Chapter Five: If man had been meant to fly, he'd have been born with wings.

Harry woke to the creeping feeling across his skin that let him know that his proximity warning charm had been activated.  He sat up abruptly, wand ready, and pulled back the curtains to find Blaise about to do the same.

"Good, you're awake," Blaise said, not realizing that Harry had been prepared to hex him if he'd been Malfoy or one of his cronies.  "We've got just enough time to shower and dress to make it to breakfast early."

"Why do we want to go early?" Harry asked smiling slightly.

Blaise grinned and didn't reply.  Harry knew what he was talking about.  It was better to be there first so you could watch those who were coming in.  Harry hopped out of bed and followed after Blaise to take a shower.

Two freshly washed and dressed Slytherin boys appeared just as the Great Hall doors opened for breakfast.  They were the first Slytherins in the hall.  They sat down side-by-side to watch those coming in.  They ate in the same manner.  It wasn't until after they were done that they began talking.

Harry had already liked his fellow Slytherin, but after they began talking, he realized that he had definitely made a good choice in his friend.  They had similar interests and opinions, along with similar personalities, which at their age meant the beginning of a beautiful friendship.  Besides, they were the only Slytherin first-year boys that didn't have Death Eater connections.

Marcus Flint came in after awhile and passed out their schedules.  The two boys began studying it, wondering if there were going to be any problems.  Their first lesson would be Defense Against the Dark Arts.  Then they'd have Transfiguration and afterward break for lunch.  After lunch they'd have Charms followed by Double Potions with the Gryffindors.  

"We see them last," Blaise sighed.  "House rivalries here we come."

Harry smiled slightly and continued studying his schedule.  That was their classes for three days of the week.  Except for the Double Potions, which became just Potions without the Gryffindors on Friday and wasn't as long.  On the other two week days, they had Herbology with the Ravenclaws, History of Magic, Magic Theory with the Hufflepuffs, and Astronomy, though not in that order.  Thankfully, they didn't have any classes with the Gryffindors on those two days.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was a joke, but that didn't bother Harry too much.  It gave him a class to doze in. Transfiguration was just as easy as he thought it would be.  He realized that this came easy to him because he'd already learned so much about magic and specifically about transfiguration as well as having done a few simple transfigurations.  

Their first class was to turn a match into a needle.  Figuring it wouldn't be a good idea to be able to do it automatically, Harry waited until the class was nearly over before successfully completely the transfiguration.  Other than him only Malfoy's had changed; his had become silvery and pointy.  Professor McGonagall sent Harry a rather shocked look, followed immediately by a suspicious one, but she nodded to Malfoy.

Charms was simple for both him and Blaise.  Apparently this is what his parents had been teaching him.  Just like Arabella had when she began, Blaise knew fourth-level charms and hexes.

Harry was practically bouncing down the hall on their way to Potions.  Blaise was laughing at his enthusiasm.  He didn't see what all the fuss was about.  They knew that Professor Snape favored the Slytherins, but neither was very sure of how Snape would react to having Harry Potter in his class even if he was a Slytherin.  Harry was hoping that his skill in potions would help persuade the Potions Master to like him.  They were the first to arrive in the class, thanks to Harry, and they chose seats at the very front.  Harry continued to fidget in his seat, unable to contain his excitement.  

After awhile, the rest of the students arrived.  It wasn't too long after that, that the door to the classroom banged open and Professor Snape swept into the classroom.  He glared at the students for a bit before he began by calling roll.  He paused at Harry's name.  "Ah, yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter.  Our new – celebrity."  Draco Malfoy and his cronies sniggered, as did a few of the Gryffindors.  Harry didn't allow this to disturb him. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class.  

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began.  He spoke in barely a whisper, but they caught every word – like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort.  "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic.  I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses…. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death – if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Harry noticed Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.  He bit back a smile.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly.  "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Granger's hand shot up while Harry paused to think.  "It would make the Draught of Living Death," he answered.  Granger dropped her hand.

"Amazing," Snape said dryly.  "Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

"It's a stone taken from the stomach of a goat.  It will save you from most poisons," Harry replied before Granger could even put her hand up.

Snape frowned slightly.  "What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

Granger's hand shot back up, but Harry had that answer too.  "There is no difference; they're the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite."

"Thirty points to Slytherin," Snape said smiling, slightly maliciously.  "It appears the Sorting Hat was correct to place you in my house."  Snape glanced around at the other students.  "Well?  Why aren't you all copying that down?"  There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment.  Over the noise, Snape said, "I look forward to seeing if you can continue to impress me, Potter."

Harry flashed a grin at Blaise.  Perhaps, things would be okay after all.

***

Harry was extremely pleased with school and said so in the letter he sent home with Hedwig.  He was wondering what the reply back would say.  He had said he was in Slytherin and mentioned Blaise.  He figured that Sirius would probably immediately begin checking into the Zabini family.  He'd want to make sure his Godson wasn't consorting with a Death Eater family.  As far as Harry knew, Blaise's family hadn't fought on the side of Voldemort.  He wasn't sure if they had fought on the side of Dumbledore, though.  They might have been one of the neutral families.

He worked hard in all of his classes and was soon winning over his teachers, who had been prepared to dislike him for the simple reason he was a Slytherin, even if he was the Boy-Who-Lived.  His favorite class was Potions.  Arabella was a wonderful teacher, but she wasn't a Master.  Severus Snape was a Potions Master.  Harry would have been content to take Potions all day long.  Unfortunately, he couldn't, and he didn't think that Snape was ready to see him haunting the Potions Classroom yet.

A few days later things were only getting better.  Blaise dragged him over to the wall in the Slytherin Common Room where notices were posted.  Flying Lessons started on Thursday.

"First lesson's with the Gryffindors," Blaise said, pointing out the one flaw to the notice.  After the first lesson was done, all the first-years would be taught together.

"Yeah," Harry sighed.  He had been correct, his tenuous friendship with Ron hadn't lasted two days.  He'd overestimated Ron apparently: he'd been figuring a week.  "Oh, well.  We shouldn't let that bother us."

When it was time for the lessons, the duo trooped out to the Quidditch pitch in high spirits.  The day was clear with only a slight wind every now and then: perfect day for flying.  Harry and Blaise were some of the first students to arrive, the others of course also being Slytherin.  There were about twenty brooms lined up in the grass.  Harry sighed; they were all rather decrepit looking.  He chose one of the few somewhat decent brooms and stood by it.  Blaise, not one who particularly cared about Quidditch or flying, chose the broom next to him, even though it was in very poor shape.  

All the Slytherins had arrived by the time the first of the Gryffindors showed up.  Unfortunately, Madam Hooch, the flying teacher, arrived last so none of them lost points for being late.  Of course, the idiot Gryffindors were just standing around in groups instead of by their brooms, so Madam Hooch had to order them to the brooms.

Madam Hooch began instructing them on how to call their brooms and then ordered them to yell 'Up!' which they did.  Harry's broom instantly hit his palm with a soft smack.  His was one of the few who did so.  Blaise's broom shuddered a bit but stayed put, and Granger's rolled over.  He was delighted to see it take Malfoy three times to successfully call his broom.  The arrogant brat had been bragging on his flying abilities since the notice had been posted.  Harry hadn't said a word.  He didn't believe in excessive modesty, but he also didn't believe in bragging.  He knew he was damn good on a broom; Sirius called him a natural.  He was an excellent Quidditch player as well, his favorite position being seeker, but he was just as good handling the bludgers.  He was indifferent to the remaining positions: chaser and keeper. 

Once everyone managed to summon their brooms, Madam Hooch instructed on mounting, positioning, and gripping.  He was once more thrilled to hear the woman correct Malfoy on his grip.  Hooch smiled at Harry's practiced grip.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch.  "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly.  On my whistle – three – two –"

Harry was startled slightly when one of the Gryffindor boys began rising before Hooch could even bring the whistle to her lips.  He must have pushed off hard because he was rising fast and not stopping.  Harry took one look at his scared pale face and realized that the boy had done it completely by accident and was absolutely terrified with no clue how to stop or come back down.  He glanced at Hooch who was yelling for the boy to come back down.  Harry looked back up in time to see the boy pale further and gasp.  He'd looked down.  Harry let out a soft gasp of his own as the boy slid sideways and fell.

Before he could react, the boy smashed into the ground.  He could hear the sickening crack of breaking bones upon impact.  Hooch rushed to his side and turned him over.  Harry recognized the boy as Neville Longbottom: the boy who had lost his toad on the train.

"Broken wrist," Harry heard her mutter.  "Come on, boy – it's all right, up you get."  She turned to the rest of the class.  "No one is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing!  You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.'  Come on, dear."

Longbottom hobbled off with Hooch's aid.  The two were barely out of earshot when Malfoy began laughing.  Harry barely kept from rolling his eyes.  

"Did you see his face, the great lump?"  

Malfoy's cronies: Goyle, Crabbe, Nott, Greengrass, and Parkinson joined in.  Bulstrode, Davis, Moon, Zabini, and he were silent.  His estimation of Millicent went up a notch, as did his opinions of Tracey and Olivia.

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped one of the Gryffindor girls.  Patil?

"Sticking up for Longbottom?" said Parkinson.  "Never thought you'd like fat little cry-babies, Parvati."

"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass.  "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

Harry recognized a Remembrall glittering in Malfoy's hand.

"Give that to me, Malfoy!" Ron yelled.  Everyone stopped talking at the shout, turning to watch.

"I think not, Weasley," Malfoy smirked.

"Give that here, Malfoy," Harry said quietly.  

Malfoy smiled nastily.  "Sticking up for Gryffindors, Potter?"  He smirked and threw the Rememball in the air and caught it.  "I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find – how about – up a tree?" 

"Give it _here_!"  Harry yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off.  He hadn't been lying, he _could_ fly well.  Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"

Harry grabbed his broom.

"Harry," Blaise stopped him.  Harry raised a brow.  Blaise stared at him a moment before coming to a decision.  He grinned.

Harry grinned back and started to mount his broom.

"_No_!" shouted Granger.  "Madam Hooch told us not to move – you'll get us all into trouble."

Harry ignored her.  He mounted the broom and pushed off with the ease of long practice.  His flying was sure and graceful; up he flew towards Malfoy.  He turned his broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in midair.  Malfoy looked stunned.  Harry knew exactly how good he was on a broom.  Malfoy had every reason to be scared.

"Give it here," he called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"

"Oh, yeah?" said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but looking worried.

Harry charged towards him; Malfoy only just managed to get out of the way in time.  Harry made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady.  "No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry called.

The same thought seemed to have struck Malfoy.

"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back toward the ground.

Harry saw, as though in slow motion, the ball rise up in the air and then start to fall.  He leaned forward and pointed his broom handle down – next second he was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball – wind whistled in his ears, mingled with the screams of the people watching – he stretched out his hand – a foot from the ground he caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight.  He pulled up on it, bringing the broom to a halt and got off.

"HARRY POTTER!"

His heart sank faster than he'd just dived.  Professor McGonagall was running toward them.  He lifted his chin, but remained silent.

"Never – in all my time at Hogwarts –"  Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flickered furiously, "—how dare you – might have broken your neck –"

Blaise started to come to his defense, but a look from Harry stopped him, and he remained silent.  The Gryffindors weren't going to say anything in defense of a Slytherin, and the Slytherins who weren't followers of Malfoy weren't going to speak unless he gave them some indication that he wanted them to.  And if they did, he'd be in their debt, something he didn't want.

Professor McGonagall glared at him, seemingly at her wits' end.  "Potter, follow me, now."

"Yes, Professor," Harry replied solemnly.  He started to walk forwards but then remembered he still held the Rememball.  He turned and walked to Hermione Granger.  He held up the ball.  "Make sure Longbottom gets this back."

"We didn't need your help, Potter," Ron said lowly.

Harry only raised a brow.  He walked back to McGonagall who was now looking at him oddly.  He ignored Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle's triumphant faces as he left, walking along in Professor McGonagall's wake as she strode towards the castle.  He kept silent, wondering where she was going to take him.

Up the front steps, up the marble staircase inside, and she hadn't said a word to him.  She wrenched open doors and marched along corridors with Harry trotting along behind her.  He realized she wasn't taking him to Dumbledore as she began walking down to the dungeons.  Which could only meant one thing.  Snape.

Professor McGonagall stopped outside the Potions classroom.  She opened the door and poked her head inside.  She straightened and walked into the room.  Harry followed her in.  She walked towards the door to Snape's office and gave a quick rap on the wood.  They waited a moment and then the door was wrenched open.  Snape stared at the two of them.  He glanced from McGonagall's angry face to Harry's impassive look.  He stepped back and allowed them to enter.

McGonagall directed him towards the chair in front of Snape's desk.  Harry sat down.  Snape sat behind his desk and stared at Harry.  He didn't take his eyes off of him as he began to speak.  "What did he do?"

McGonagall explained in clipped tones of Harry's disobedience, though she left out the matter of giving the Rememball to Granger.  Harry didn't speak and remained an emotionless mask during the telling.  Snape watched without comment. Snape finally took his eyes off of Harry to glare at McGonagall.  She took the hint and left the room.  Snape stared at him a moment longer.  He leaned forward slightly and rested his elbows on his desk.  "Why don't you tell me the whole story?" he prompted.

Harry fought back his surprise.  From the stories his guardians had told him, save Arabella of course, and the rumors running around school, he had expected Snape to drag him up to the Headmaster's office and demand his expulsion.

Harry stared at him pensively before nodding.  He explained the boy's fall, and Madam Hooch leaving the class to their own devices.  He hesitated a moment, and Snape narrowed his eyes.  

"The boy lost his Rememball when he fell and another student picked it up," Harry said, deciding not to reveal who had picked it up.  "with the intention of either keeping it or damaging it.  Some of the others weren't too pleased.  The student flew off with the Rememball, and as the boy's friends weren't going to go after the student.  I decided to do so.  Once the student realized that I was better on a broom, the student threw the Rememball and then landed.  I caught the Rememball before it could smash into the ground."

Snape watched him a moment in silent reflection.  "Yes or no.  Was the student a fellow Slytherin?"

Harry considered.  "Yes," he finally replied.

"And the boy and his friends, they were Gryffindors?"

"Yes."

Snape leaned back.  "How far off the ground were you when you caught the Rememball?  Don't exaggerate."

Harry shrugged.  "A foot or so."

Snape blinked, but quickly recovered.  "Why did you stick up for a Gryffindor?"

"I don't believe in picking on the weak or defenseless," Harry said condescendingly.

Snape sneered.  "Even Gryffindors?"

Harry raised a brow.  "Even Hufflepuffs."

Snape smirked.  "Ten points to Slytherin for standing up to a bully."  He picked up a quill and wrote two brief notes.  He folded the papers and handed the first to Harry.  "Give that to Marcus Flint.  He's in Charms at the moment."  He handed Harry the second note.  "Give this one to Professor Flitwick."

"Yes, Professor," Harry said with a slight smile.

"Go on, Potter."

"Thank you, sir."

***

Harry knocked on the door to the Charms Classroom and then entered.  He handed Professor Flitwick the note from Snape and started to walk towards Marcus Flint, when Flitwick spoke.  He'd already read the note.  "Mr. Flint.  Please step outside into the hallway with Mr. Potter a moment."

Flint got up and followed Harry out of the classroom.  Harry handed him the note.  Flint glanced over it and then looked up at Harry.  He skimmed over Harry's figure much to Harry's surprise.  

Flint gave an unconscious nod.  "Meet me out on the Quidditch pitch after dinner tonight."

Harry frowned slightly.  "Alright."

Flint walked back into the classroom.  Harry stood there a moment.  _'What was that all about?'_

***

Harry found out when he reached the Quidditch pitch.  Flint and Snape were waiting for him.  Harry walked to them calmly, and as he got closer he spotted a trunk that looked similar to the ones that held Quidditch balls on the ground in between them.  Then he realized that Flint was holding two brooms in one hand.  Suddenly it all fitted together.  One problem though: he was a first year.

Flint had him play a bit in every position while Snape watched.  After about two hours worth of practice, they stopped.  Flint and Snape stepped away from him to confer a bit and then returned to where he stood.  

"You're on the team: seeker," Flint said.

Harry raised a brow.  "I'm a first-year."

"I've already spoken to the Headmaster, he's agreed to bend the rule," Snape replied.  

Harry nodded and began to smile.  "Alright."

"Good," Flint said.

"Have you got a broom?" Snape asked.

"A Nimbus 2000."

Flint looked gleeful.  "Great.  Write home for it."

Snape nodded then focused on Harry.  "Don't forget to get the notes from someone about the Astronomy class you missed."

"Yes, sir," Harry replied, and Snape walked off.

The two boys stood there a moment watching their teacher walk off before turning to each other.  "Grab one end," Flint instructed.  Harry leaned down to help Flint carry the box of Quidditch balls back to the broom shed.  They were each carrying a broom.

"What can you tell me about the team?" Harry asked.

"We haven't had a good seeker in three years, been making do with Terence Higgs.  Our keeper is good.  Unfortunately, he's not as good as the Gryffindor keeper, Wood, and he's a seventh-year, so we'll lose him next year.  Our beaters are Bole and Derrick.  They're good when they use their brains, but they have off-days.  Our chasers are myself, Warrington, and Montague.  The three of us are the only reason why we've managed not to come in last place.  We score so much, by the time someone catches the Snitch, we've still won the game."

"So what are our chances for the cup?"

Flint shot him a look and then smirked.  "We're going to win, no question."

***

TBC…

A/N:

On Slytherin students:

As I said in my thanks, I looked up some info on the HP Lexicon and found ???someone??? Greengrass and Tracey Davis listed as Slytherin witches of Harry's year.  Moon and Nott I knew from the _HP and the Sorcerer's Stone_ though I wasn't sure on the houses.  The Lexicon confirmed that no one knew where they were sorted.  So since I needed students in the Slytherins, I threw them in with the lot.  We've no first names for them either so I came up with those as well.

Marcus Flint's character isn't developed at all so I decided how I wanted him to act to his fellow Slytherins and his fellow team-mates.  You see the second in this chapter and you'll see the first a bit later on.

I haven't really gone in-depth with Goyle and Crabbe yet, but since I'm discussing Slytherin students I might as well mention it here.  I personally don't think they are as stupid as everyone makes out.  After all, Slytherin is a house that prizes cunning and ambition.  If they were as slow and slug-like as everyone thinks, I don't think they'd have been sorted into Slytherin even if they were evil and liked to pick on people.  Slytherin isn't inherently evil, ya know.

~Artemis Luna Diana~


	6. Chapter Six: It's a dog eat dog world

**Title:** AU: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

**Author:** Artemis Luna Diana

**E-Mail:** artemislunadiana@yahoo.com

**Rating:** PG-13 (cursing)

**Pairing:** none

**Time:** begins the night of James and Lily's deaths and continues through Harry's first year of school

**Summary:** Harry grows up under the watchful eyes of Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and Arabella Figg.  When Harry was still little, he had a nightmare and woke up screaming.  When his guardians arrived in his bedroom, he told them that _he_ would be coming back.  Knowing instinctively who Harry was referring too, the three resolved to train Harry to defend himself before he left for Hogwarts.  They figured that everyone would dismiss Harry's vision as a simple nightmare.  So they kept the whole matter a secret.  Now it's time for Harry's first year of Hogwarts.  He's been trained in secret to be cunning, strong, and quick-thinking.  So where does he end up: Slytherin.

**Disclaimer:** I own not a thing.  Due to the fact that this story covers one of the years already written, the majority of the events and some of the dialogue comes straight from the book.  This chapter also contains Fluffy's description, it was taken straight from the book as well.

**Thanks to:** snapeysnapesnape for the excellent beta

**Chapter Six: It's a dog eat dog world...**

When Harry walked into the Slytherin first-year dorm, he was greeted by Malfoy's malicious smile.  "Potter, coming to pack?"

"No, actually," Harry replied easily.  "I'm going to talk to Blaise, write a letter, and then go to bed."  He picked up some parchment, a quill, and some ink and gestured for Blaise to follow him.

Malfoy's smile dimmed slightly.  "I noticed you weren't in Astronomy, get expelled?"

Harry smiled.  "No, I was with Marcus Flint and Professor Snape.  I'm the new Slytherin Seeker," he replied as he walked out of the room.

Malfoy, Nott, Crabbe, and Goyle stared open-mouthed as Blaise hurried after Harry.  "He's what?" Malfoy snarled.

***

"Are you serious?" Blaise demanded as the two made their way to the owlery.

"Yep.  I'm the youngest player in a century."  He shot Blaise a wry smile.  "Quite an accomplishment for my second week, huh?"

"I'll say!"  The two walked in silence a moment.  "Why are we going to the owlery after curfew?" Blaise asked.

"I need to write home for my broom," Harry replied.

"Oh."  Blaise glanced at Harry and gave a slight smile.  "I've never really been interested in Quidditch or flying, but I'm glad you made the team.  You seem to like it very much."

"That I do," Harry said with a grin.  "Sirius is going to go nuts about it too.  He'll be bragging to anyone who'll listen."  Harry laughed.  "And those who won't!"

When they reached the owlery, Hedwig flew down and landed on Harry's shoulder.  Harry stroked her chest and then walked over to the small table and wrote a quick note.  Hedwig hopped down onto the table when he was done and held up one of her legs so he could attach the letter.  Once he did so, she climbed onto his arm and he walked her over to the window.  

"Take this to Sirius," he said.  Hedwig took off, and he turned back to Blaise.  "Okay, we can go back now."

"I'm going to study Transfiguration," Blaise said as they walked out of the room.  "You're welcome to join me."

"Okay," Harry replied.

Blaise snickered suddenly.  "Did you see Malfoy's face?"

Harry glanced at him in confusion a second before he realized what his friend was talking about.  He laughed.  "It was priceless.  Makes me wish I had a camera."

The two talked for a bit more before Harry stopped suddenly.  "Shh, did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Listen!"

Blaise and Harry exchanged horrified looks.  "Footsteps!" Blaise hissed.  "Hide!"

"No place, just run!"

The two boys took off running, trying to keep as quiet as they could while at the same time trying to prevent from getting caught out of bed.  It took Harry a second but he soon realized they were running away from the Slytherin dorms.  "We're heading away from the dorm!"

"Too late!  Keep going!"

Finally, they managed to lose their pursuer, whom they figured was either Snape or Filch.  Leaning up against a wall, they tried to catch their breath.  "Malfoy must have ratted on us," Harry spat.

"Stupid git!" Blaise agreed between pants.

"Ooooh!  Lookie here!  Ikle firsties out of bed!"

"Peeves!" Blaise gasped.

"Should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his eyes glittered wickedly.  "It's for your own good, you know."

"Peeves, if you dare call Filch, we'll tell the Bloody Baron you've been treating the Slytherin first years horribly," Harry said quietly.

Peeves seemed torn before his slightly evil smile widened.  "STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" he bellowed.  "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"

Ducking under Peeves the two boys ran down the corridor and hit a locked door.  They could hear footsteps, Filch running as fast as he could towards Peeves' shouts.  Both boys drew their wands and simultaneously whispered, "_Alohomora!_"

The lock clicked and the door swung open.  They dashed in and shut it quickly, pressing close to the door, straining to hear.  They could hear Filch talking to Peeves and the poltergeist's unhelpful responses.  Soon enough they heard the sound of Peeves whooshing away and Filch's curses fading into silence.

Harry sighed in relief.  "He thinks the door's locked.  We should be okay," he said and turned to lean back on the door.

"We should give it a few minutes before we leave," Blaise replied not looking at Harry.  When Harry didn't say anything, Blaise glanced over at him.  "Harry?"  

Harry was staring fixedly at something in the room.  Blaise turned slightly to see what had captured Harry's interest and let out a horrified gasp.  They weren't in a room, as he had supposed.  They were in a corridor.  The forbidden corridor on the third floor.  And now they knew why it was forbidden.

They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog that filled the whole space between ceiling and floor.  It had three heads.  Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction; three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs.

It was standing quite still, all six eyes staring at them, and Harry knew that the only reason they weren't already dead was that their sudden appearance had taken it by surprise, but it was quickly getting over that, there was no mistaking what those thunderous growls meant.

"Blaise, get the door," Harry whispered.

Blaise fumbled for the knob and the door opened.  They stumbled back and slammed the door shut.  They ran, couldn't care less if Filch or Snape caught them now.  They didn't stop running till they reached the stone door hidden in the walls of the dungeon that led to the Slytherin dorms.  

"_Parselmouth!_" Harry gasped and the two stumbled in.  They fell back against the door.  Harry placed a hand over his rapidly beating heart.  "Whoa."  

"Why in Merlin's name do they have that creature in the school?" Blaise asked, he also had a hand resting over his thundering heart.

Harry closed his eyes and leaned his head back.  "It was standing on a trapdoor.  It's guarding something."  He opened his eyes to see Blaise's reaction.

Blaise's eyes glittered.  "What do you think it's guarding?"

Harry laughed weakly.  "I have no idea."

***

BOOM.  

Harry glared at Blaise who grinned at him.  "These are all the books I could find on Hogwarts' layout.  I think we could probably piece together how much space is under that trapdoor from them," Blaise said gesturing towards the tower of books he'd just dropped on the table.

Harry nodded.  "Once we know how much room is down there, we can figure out what it might be holding."

The two boys bent over the books and began drawing rough sketches of the layout of Hogwarts based on the descriptions in the books, paying special attention to the third floor and any out of the way areas that led from the third floor.

"It could be a new area," Blaise said after awhile.

"No," Harry said shaking his head.  "It says in _Hogwarts: a History_ that the school can't be added on to."  He looked up at Blaise.  "It'll damage the wards protecting the school.  Everything in here has always been here, it's just a matter of finding it all."

"Well they could change the destination of some of the pathways."

"Nope.  They are all the same.  Each spell has a certain number of destinations that it cycles through.  If we can determine the cycle and its times, we can end up where we want to go when we want to."

"I thought the school was a bit more random than that."

"You can thank Slytherin and Ravenclaw for Hogwarts being the way it is.  They decided to make it appear to be random without it actually being random.  It helps during attacks on the school.  If the enemy manages to actually enter the school, they still have to figure out how to get past the spells.  Even the staircases are on different cycles.  You can actually figure out which staircase is going to move and where it is going to go.  Like I said, it's designed to look random without being random."

"So how do we figure all this out?"

Harry sighed slightly.  "Become extremely good at mathematics and arithmancy."

"We don't take arithmancy until third year," Blaise said aghast.  "They aren't going to just leave whatever it is down there until we're ready to swipe it!"

Harry glared.  "You'd better be glad I had the foresight to cast a silencing spell around us or otherwise you'd have just blasted our intentions out to the entire library."

Blaise flushed.  "Sorry." 

Harry scowled.  "And we aren't going to swipe it… we're just going to see what it is, and maybe borrow it for a bit."

Blaise snorted.  "Pretty stupid of us if you ask me.  It could be something that's all-powerful.  We could rule the world!"

Harry laughed.  "Rule the world?  I didn't realize that you had dreams of world domination, Blaise Zabini."

"Well, I might not actively seek it, but I certainly wouldn't mind having it if it was given to me," Blaise replied cheekily.  "Servants answering my every whim –"

"You have that now."

"Followers bowing at my presence –"

"Yeah, right."

"Women at my beck and call, submitting to my every desire –"

Harry was laughing uncontrollably by this time.  Blaise reached out and tried to smack him upside the head, but Harry ducked out of the way.

"Are you saying you wouldn't want it?" Blaise demanded.

"Hell, no," Harry replied still smiling.  "Do you have any idea what ruling the world would involve?  The paperwork alone would kill you."

"I'd banish paperwork!"

"Then how would you know that what you wanted was being done?  You wouldn't be the real ruler, whoever was your second-in-command would be, and even he wouldn't really have a lot of power.  Most of the power would be in the upper ranks of your followers.  Nah, ruling the world isn't what it's cracked up to be."

Blaise frowned.  "You've got a point."

"Besides, someone would overthrow you anyway."

"Are you saying I'd be a bad leader?"

"No, it's just that you're a Slytherin.  Slytherins are evil and the 'light' side would have a problem with you in control."

"Prejudiced bastards."

"Exactly," Harry said good-naturedly.  "I think what we should shoot for is to have a great _influence_ upon society.  Then even if we weren't in control, people would still look to us for approval before making any decisions.  For example, as much as I despise him, Lucius Malfoy is in the perfect position.  He even appears to be good to the 'light' side though we both know otherwise."

"Are you saying your role model is Lucius Malfoy?" 

Harry thought for a minute then started laughing.  "Maybe I should tell him, he might keel over from the shock."

Blaise snickered.  "Or you could tell Draco."

Both boys were soon helpless with a case of the giggles, and it took them awhile to recover, but soon they were back to their map making.

***

That night at dinner, Harry and Blaise were treated to the first major prank of the year.  Marcus Flint told Harry that it had to have been the Weasley twins and to make sure he watched his back around them.  Slytherin would be most unhappy if anything befell their new seeker.  Harry and Blaise retreated to the library looking for a cure to their pink freckled state.  Harry was irritated that he didn't already know the answer.  After all, he came from a family of pranksters.  It was perhaps that irritation that led Harry to his decision to return the Weasley twins' favor.

He dragged Blaise and Marcus Flint down to the Potions classroom to begin their revenge.  Harry pulled out three cauldrons and began instructing his partners in crime to gather ingredients.  He had Blaise prepare ingredients while Marcus helped him watch over the three cauldrons simultaneously.

Unnoticed by the three boys, Professor Snape entered the room.  It was only shock that kept him from yelling immediately, and he was grateful for that later.  Just as he opened his mouth to berate Flint for dragging two first-years down to the Potions classroom to assist him, Harry began calling out orders again.  Snape was sent into shock again.  Harry Potter was the ringleader of this… whatever this was?  Snape sat down and watched in silence as the oblivious boys continued their work.  Two of the potions were finished in about twenty minutes and set aside to cool; the final potion took another hour.  Once Harry declared it finished, Snape stood up.

Silently he walked up to them, the boys' mouths dropping open in shock before closing with gulps.  He inspected the three finished potions and an evil looking smile crossed his face.  "Excellent quality, Potter, I expected nothing less from you," he said and walked into his office, closing the door behind him.

Harry grinned.  "He recognizes what the potions are," he explained to his two puzzled companions.  "He knows exactly what we're going to do with them."

"He doesn't care?" Blaise asked astonished.  "We aren't in trouble?"

"Nope."  Harry smiled.  "Remind me to tell you all about when Snape went to school.  He was involved in the biggest prank war that Hogwarts has ever seen."

"Professor Snape?" Marcus asked astonished.

"Professor Snape," Harry replied nodding.  "Now, for the last thing."  He thought for a bit, then spoke three sentences over the last cauldron, then bottled the potions. "We need to deliver these little beauties."

They grinned.

***

The next morning at breakfast, Harry and Blaise sat down next to Marcus Flint and the rest of the Slytherin House team, who Marcus had informed of the coming events.  Professor Snape came to breakfast extremely early instead of last minute like he normally did.  He also had a very smug and knowing look on his face that caused many students to feel apprehensive.

Once all the students gathered, the food appeared and the Slytherins who knew watched the Gryffindor table with barely concealed glee.  A minute after the meal appeared, the changes began.  Those unfortunate enough to choose the hot foods, found themselves with green robes and silver streaked hair.  Those who had chosen a cold breakfast or bread, had 'I love Slytherins' tattooed across their foreheads.  And everyone who had taken a drink of anything, were now capable of only saying three sentences.

Some of the younger students rushed to Dumbledore and McGonagall, hoping to be relieved of the effects.  "I love Slytherins!" one proclaimed, then clapped a hand over her mouth in shock.

"Professor Severus Snape is my hero!" the boy beside her cried aghast, then clapped a hand over his own mouth in horror.

"I wish I was a Slytherin!" another boy pleaded with Dumbledore.

By this time the Slytherin table was roaring with laughter and Ravenclaw was laughing as well.  The Hufflepuffs were torn between laughing and being sympathetic since it was obviously a Slytherin that had pranked the Gryffindors.  The Gryffindors were in an uproar, save for a few students who thought it was funny in spite of the fact that they were the ones pranked.  Lee Jordan, the Weasley twins, and a few others.  There were about three people at the Gryffindor table that avoided all three pranks as they hadn't begun eating yet.  Hermione Granger was one of them.

Professor McGonagall was not amused to see her house in such a state.  "Harry Potter!" she shouted.  "I know you did this!"

Harry put on his best innocent expression.  "Who me?"

"Fifty points from Slytherin and a month of detention!"

"Now Minerva, we don't have any evidence that Harry was the one responsible," Dumbledore said smiling.  

McGonagall practically growled at the Headmaster and stalked over to the Gryffindor table to try and remove some of the effects of the prank.  Dumbledore smiled at Harry.  "No points will be removed and you do not have to serve any detentions this time, Harry," the Headmaster said.  "Though I am sure that Professor McGonagall will be writing to your godfather about this.  She is quite convinced that you are responsible."

"I know that Sirius and Remus were pranksters," Harry said with a charming expression.  "But I didn't realize that they would influence Professor McGonagall's opinion of me.  Should I talk to her?"

"I don't think that will be necessary, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore replied, his eyes twinkling, as he returned to his seat at the Head Table.

Blaise and Marcus, who already knew a little about Harry's family history, were not surprised about McGonagall calling him out; however, the other Slytherins were dying to know why McGonagall blamed a first-year without any evidence.  Harry informed them a bit about the prank war that had spanned the seven years his father, his friends, and Professor Snape had been at school, and that because he had grown up with his father's friends, he seemed a likely candidate.  Of course, only the quidditch team and Blaise knew that McGonagall had every reason to blame him.

***

Two days after the breakfast prank, Blaise and Harry had just sat down to breakfast when the morning post came in.  Harry was gifted with a large package and three letters.  Harry grinned, grabbed his mail, and dashed out of the hall with Blaise on his heels.  They entered the Slytherin dorms and closed themselves up in Harry's bed.  They opened up the package, and Blaise admired Harry's broom while Harry opened his letters.

_Harry – _

_I'm so proud of you.  First you make the quidditch team as a first year, then we received a letter from Professor McGonagall listing the details of the prank you did at breakfast.  It was your prank wasn't it?  Your first big prank and you didn't even get in trouble!  Congratulations!  Write back with all of the details!  _

_Love – _

_Sirius_

Harry – 

Congratulations on making the quidditch team, your mother and father would be very proud.  Sirius is very excited to hear that you are continuing our legacy, though I am a little surprised that you did.  You hadn't said anything about pranking the Gryffindors in your last letter.  What changed your mind?  And remember not to get caught while you're setting up your pranks!  Oh, and don't forget to study!  

Love –

Remus

_Harry – _

_Congratulations on making the quidditch team.  I've sent your broom along with this letter, so write back if you don't get it.  We received a letter from Professor McGonagall, do try and stay out of trouble, Harry.  There is no need to draw attention to yourself or make a bad impression upon your professors.  However, if you decided to turn this into a prank war, make sure you give those Gryffindors hell!  Write me if you need ideas.  _

_How are classes?  Are you and Professor Snape getting along?  Have you worked any on your potions experiments?  Let me know if you need anything for your projects._

_Love – _

_Arabella_

Harry grinned at his letters.  Who could ask for a better response to your parents/guardians being informed of your misdeeds?  

Blaise laughed.  "I wish that's how my parents reacted when I got in trouble!"

***

TBC…

I thought long and hard about the whole pranking thing, before realizing that there really was no way to get around it.  So the story is going to have little pranking interludes throughout it.  Considering that Harry grew up with Sirius and Remus who were notorious pranksters, and that all three of his guardians used pranks as a way to relieve Harry of stress during his training, I think that Harry would be inclined to respond to the Weasley twins with pranks of his own.

Anyway, my yahoo!group:  groups.yahoo.com/group/HuntressSmiles

Also, I figure I should mention a bit about updates.  I do have other stories that I'm working on, so I won't be updating every week, I'll be lucky if I update once a month.  I probably should have spaced out posting the first five chapters instead of just tossing them all up at once, that way it wouldn't have seemed like such long periods before updates since I'd have more time to write the next chapters.

As always, any reviews and/or comments are appreciated.

~Artemis Luna Diana~


	7. Chapter Seven: A friend in need, is a fr...

**Title:** AU: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

**Author:** Artemis Luna Diana

**E-Mail:** artemislunadiana@yahoo.com

**Rating:** PG-13 (cursing)

**Pairing:** none

**Time:** begins the night of James and Lily's deaths and continues through Harry's first year of school

**Summary:** Harry grows up under the watchful eyes of Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and Arabella Figg.  When Harry was still little, he had a nightmare and woke up screaming.  When his guardians arrived in his bedroom, he told them that _he_ would be coming back.  Knowing instinctively who Harry was referring too, the three resolved to train Harry to defend himself before he left for Hogwarts.  They figured that everyone would dismiss Harry's vision as a simple nightmare.  So they kept the whole matter a secret.  Now it's time for Harry's first year of Hogwarts.  He's been trained in secret to be cunning, strong, and quick-thinking.  So where does he end up: Slytherin.

**Disclaimer:** I own not a thing.  Due to the fact that this story covers one of the years already written, the majority of the events and some of the dialogue comes straight from the book.  This chapter also contains the description of the troll, which is also taken straight from the book.

**Thanks to:** snapeysnapesnape for the excellent beta

**Chapter Seven: A friend in need, is a friend indeed.**

Harry was quite content and sure of his place by the time Halloween rolled around.  He was, without a doubt, one of Snape's favorites and he was extremely pleased by that, even if it made the Gryffindors hate him more.  The first Quidditch match of the year was coming up; everything was going great.

Harry and Blaise were on their way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast when they bumped into Tracey Davis, Olivia Moon, and Millicent Bulstrode on the first floor.  "What's going on?" Blaise asked.

"We just left the girls' bathroom, that Gryffindor girl Granger was in there crying," Millicent replied.

"From what I understand, the Gryffindorks are treating her horrible because she's smart," Tracey explained.

"She showed them all up in Charms class and they insulted her for it," Olivia added.

"Gryffindors," Millicent snorted.  "They are suppose to be _so_ good, in reality they're horrible people."

"Not all of them," Harry said quietly.  "Granger is a bit of a know-it-all, but she doesn't know any better.  Besides I think it's her way of trying to fit in.  She's a Muggle-born and feels uncomfortable."

"Probably," Tracey replied.  "I hope things improve for her soon, otherwise no matter how clever she is, she's going to hate Hogwarts and her magic."

"Another Muggle-born lost back to the Muggle-world," Millicent agreed.

The small group made their way to the Great Hall in thoughtful silence.  As Slytherins, Granger wasn't likely to accept their help, and they couldn't ask a Hufflepuff or a Ravenclaw to help her because Slytherins weren't trusted by any house.  Harry sighed and mentally wished the Gryffindor girl luck; she was going to need it.

The food had just appeared when Professor Quirrell came running into the hall.  Harry frowned, _'why hadn't he been in the hall to begin with?'_  

Everyone stared as he made his way further into the hall.  "Troll – in the dungeons – thought you ought to know."  He fell to the floor in a dead faint.

As his schoolmates, including Blaise, broke out in screams and other modes of panic, Harry's frown increased.  _'Why had Quirrell been in the dungeons instead of at the feast?  His classroom, office, and quarters were on the sixth floor.  He would have had to go down past the Great Hall to get to the dungeons to discover the troll.'_  His frown faded.  _'Maybe it had something to do with the trapdoor!'  _The frown reappeared.  _'But the trapdoor was on the third floor…'_

It took Dumbledore a moment to calm the students down enough to listen to him.  "Prefects, lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

Marcus hurried towards the gathered group of first year Slytherins.  "Follow me and keep calm.  We don't know where in the dungeons the troll is.  Take out your wands and if you spot the troll, inform me immediately.  Let's go." Justin Montague, the 6th year Slytherin chaser joined their group to help defend them if they ran into the troll.  Marcus sent him a grateful look and the group started down towards the dungeons.

In the mess of students outside of the Great Hall, Harry grabbed Blaise's arm.  "Blaise.  Granger's in the girls' bathroom.  She doesn't know about the troll."

"Harry!  This is something a Gryffindor would do!" he whined.

"If we don't do it, who will?  Besides, it could benefit us in the long run."

"Fine, but let's go now!"

The two boys separated from the mess of students and made their way to the girls' bathroom on the first floor.  They had just slipped down a deserted corridor when they heard quick footsteps behind them.

"Marcus!" hissed Blaise, pulling Harry behind a large stone griffin.

However, when they peered around it, they didn't see Marcus Flint, but Professor Snape.  He crossed the corridor and disappeared from view.

"What's he doing?" Blaise whispered.  "Why isn't he with the rest of the teachers in the dungeons?"

Harry frowned.  "Maybe it has something to do with Quirrell."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll explain later.  Let's go."

Quietly as possible they crept along the next corridor after Snape's fading footsteps.  Blaise grabbed Harry's arm, stopping him.  "That stairwell bypasses the second floor and goes straight to the third.  Snape is going to the third floor!"

"This makes things even more confusing," Harry replied.

They started to move forward again when Blaise stopped them again.  Harry glared at him.  "What now?"

"Do you smell something?"

Harry sniffed the air delicately.  "Merlin, yes!  That's foul!" he hissed, covering his nose with this sleeve.

And then they heard it – a low grunting, and the shuffling of footfalls of gigantic feet.  Blaise pointed – at the end of the passage to the left, something huge was moving toward them.  They shrank into the shadows and watched as it emerged into a patch of moonlight.

It was a horrible sight.  Twelve feet tall, its skin dull, granite gray, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut.  It has short legs thick as tree trunks, with flat horny feet.  The smell coming from it was incredible.  It was holding a wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long.

The troll stopped next to a doorway and peered inside.  It waggled its long ears, making up its tiny mind then slouched slowly into the room.

"The key is in the lock," Harry muttered.  "We could lock it in."

"Okay," Blaise nodded nervously.

They crept silently towards the open door, mouths dry, hoping against hope that the troll wasn't about to come out.  In one quick move, Harry managed to grab the key, slam the door, and lock it.

"_Yes!_" they crowed.

"Now to find the girls' bathroom," Harry said and glanced around.

"Uh, Harry…"

"What?  Did you find it?"

"Harry, I think that _was_ the girls' bathroom…"

"What?!"

A high-pitched, terrified scream came from the locked room.  "Oh, no!" Harry yelped.  He rushed to the door and turned the key, fumbling slightly in his panic, Blaise right behind him.  Harry pulled open the door and they ran inside.

Hermione Granger was cowering against the far wall as the troll advanced towards her, smashing sinks and stalls as it went.  "Stun it on two!" Harry cried.  "One, two, _stupefy!_"

The troll fell forward under the combined assault of the two stunning spells.  The three stared at it in silence.  "Is it dead?" came the shaky voice of Hermione Granger.

"It's just stunned," Harry replied in a shocked whisper.  "I didn't think it would work…"

"Merlin," Blaise breathed.

Harry tried to slow his rapidly beating heart and focused on Granger.  "Are you okay?  Are you hurt?"  She shook her head no.  Harry skirted around the fallen troll and grabbed her hand.  "Come on, we don't want to be here when it wakes up."

They made their way back to Blaise and looked at the fallen troll again.  Granger tightened her grip on Harry's hand.  "Oh, my God," she whispered.  "Oh, my God."

"We should get her out of here," Blaise said.  "I think she's going to hyperventilate."

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the three of them look behind them towards the door.  They hadn't realized that the noise of the troll smashing up the bathroom and then collapsing to the floor with a loud crash would have been heard through the floor.  A moment later, Professor McGonagall came bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear.  Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart.

"Merlin," Harry heard Blaise moan.  "They're going to kill us for this."

Snape bent over the troll making sure it was going to remain unconscious.  Professor McGonagall was glaring at the three of them.  Harry was suddenly reminded of their first flying lesson.  His heart sank.  Blaise was right.  They were so dead.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" she demanded.  "You're lucky you weren't killed!  Why were you out of your dormitories?"

Snape left his examination of the troll to join McGonagall in discovering why they were not where they were supposed to be.  He gave Harry a swift, piercing look.  Harry stiffened, but remained silent.  He felt Hermione's grip on his hand tighten again.  His chin lifted.

"We were looking for Ms. Granger," he said firmly.  "Millicent, Tracey, and Olivia told us she was in here.  She didn't know about the troll, and it wasn't like any _Gryffindor_ would have come after her."

McGonagall was taken aback.  Snape glared at Granger.  "Why were you in here?" he demanded.  "Do you realize that you put yourself and two of your classmates at risk?"

"Excuse me, sir," Blaise interrupted.  "But that is Granger's business."  He then paled, realizing what he said, and who he said it to.

Now Snape was taken aback.  His Slytherins talking back to him in defense of a Gryffindor?  He and McGonagall exchanged a look and were silent a moment.  "Twenty points from Gryffindor," Professor McGonagall said finally.  "For your appalling lack of judgment.  Return to your dormitory; students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Hermione glanced at her two rescuers and gave them a small smile.  She released Harry's hand and left the room.  McGonagall glared at them and then followed Hermione out of the room.  

Snape glanced at the troll.  "Two stunning spells?"

"Yes, sir," Harry replied.

"Twenty points to Slytherin apiece.  Return to your dormitories."

Blaise let out a sigh of relief, and the two started out of the room.  "Five points from Slytherin, Mr. Zabini, for your cheek."

They hurried from the room before Snape decided to take any more points for their behavior.  "I can't believe he only took five!" Blaise said as soon as they were out of ear shot.

"Me neither.  I can't believe you said that to him!"

"Neither can I!"

"Hey," Harry said, stopping his friend.  "We just took out a mountain troll."

Blaise laughed.  "Oh, yea!  Slytherins rule!"

Harry laughed and they ran the rest of the way back to their dorm.

***

The next day while Harry and Blaise were working on their Magic Theory homework in the library, Hermione came over to their table.  She held out her hand to them.  "Thanks for saving me."

Harry accepted her hand immediately.  "It was no problem." 

Blaise shook her hand.  "Same here."

"Would you like to join us?" Harry asked.  "We're working on our theory homework."

Hermione gave them a sunny smile.  "Okay, let me go get my stuff."  

And so began one of the oddest friendships Hogwarts had seen in recent years.

***

TBC…

A/N: I decided to stop here and leave the conspiracies and quidditch for the next chapter, so this chapter is a bit shorter than the previous.  I don't really go by length with this story, but instead by events, so chapters can end up being really long, or kind of short like this one.

I have had many, many, MANY e-mails about romance in this story.  From please include slash, to Harry/Hermione forever, to 'if you include slash you will die'.  I ask you all to remember that this story has no pairing.  There will not be any romance at all.  Perhaps in the sequels that are stewing in my brain, I'll include some romance, but not in this one.

As always, thanks for your reviews and e-mails, they are much appreciated.

I've put up the first year schedules of all the major characters at my yahoo!group.  remember that you must be a member of the group to view the schedules though. And you must be signed into yahoo! to access the group.

My yahoo!group --- group.yahoo.com/groups/HuntressSmiles

My livejournal --- www.livejournal.com/users/missdiana

~Artemis Luna Diana~


	8. Chapter Eight: Just because you’re paran...

**Title:** AU: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

**Author:** Artemis Luna Diana

**E-Mail:** artemislunadiana@yahoo.com

**Rating:** PG-13 (cursing)

**Pairing:** none

**Time:** begins the night of James and Lily's deaths and continues through Harry's first year of school

**Summary:** Harry grows up under the watchful eyes of Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and Arabella Figg.  When Harry was still little, he had a nightmare and woke up screaming.  When his guardians arrived in his bedroom, he told them that _he_ would be coming back.  Knowing instinctively who Harry was referring too, the three resolved to train Harry to defend himself before he left for Hogwarts.  They figured that everyone would dismiss Harry's vision as a simple nightmare.  So they kept the whole matter a secret.  Now it's time for Harry's first year of Hogwarts.  He's been trained in secret to be cunning, strong, and quick-thinking.  So where does he end up: Slytherin.

**Disclaimer:** I own not a thing.  Due to the fact that this story covers one of the years already written, the majority of the events and some of the dialogue comes straight from the book.  The first Quidditch match of the season is covered in this chapter and Lee Jordan's commentary comes straight from the book.

**Thanks to:** snapeysnapesnape for the excellent beta

**Chapter Eight: Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean someone isn't after you.**

"Have you seen Professor Snape?"

Hermione and Blaise looked up from their potions homework to find Harry standing in front of their table.  Sunday morning's quidditch practice must have ended early.  "No, why?" Blaise replied.

"I want to ask him if I could work in the potions classroom in my spare time.  I think enough time has passed that I could do that, don't you?"

"I guess so.  Have you looked in his office?"  Blaise asked.

"Yeah, he's not there."

"Why don't you try the staff room," Hermione suggested.

"Okay.  I'll be back later."

"Wait!" Blaise stopped him.  "We're working on our potions homework… when we're done, would you look over it?"

"Yeah, I'll come back here as soon as I find Professor Snape."

"Okay, thanks."

***

Harry made his way to the staff room at an easy pace.  However, when he knocked on the door, no one answered.  Frowning, he wondered if his knock was loud enough to hear through the thick oak door.  He pushed the door open and peeked in.  His eyes widened in surprise.

Snape was in the staff room, but he wasn't alone, and he wasn't relaxing or grading papers.  He was holding his robes up above his knees, revealing a bloody, mangled leg, while Filch handed him bandages.

"Blasted thing," he was saying.  "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"

Harry nearly gasped aloud.  He tried to shut the door quietly, but he must have made some sort of noise.

"Potter!"

Harry couldn't say whether it was shock or anger that colored his professor's voice.  He glanced up at Snape.  Snape's face was twisted with fury as he dropped his robes quickly to hide his leg.

"Sir, I was hoping to speak with you about a private matter.  I can see that you are busy; I'll come back when it's more convenient for you," he said calmly, hiding the fear and shock he was feeling.

"Meet me in the potions classroom in two hours," Snape growled.

"Yes, Sir."

"Go!"

Harry left as quickly as possible, and once he was sure he was out of sight and hearing range of the staff room, he ran full-speed down the halls and to the library.

***

"Okay, what are the ingredients for—" Hermione was cut off as Harry practically crashed into the table.

He spat out a silencing charm.  "We were right!  He did go to the third floor Halloween night.  That monster bit his leg; it's all bloody and mangled!"

"Who?  What?" Hermione asked confused.

"Which one? Snape or Quirrell?" Blaise asked.

"Snape!"

"But wait a minute; I thought you said Quirrell…"  Blaise frowned.  "I'm confused."

"What is going on?" Hermione demanded.

"This isn't the place to talk about this," Harry said.  "Come on, quickly!"  He jumped up and began gathering their books, not paying any attention to whose books went into which bag.

Hermione and Blaise chased after Harry as he led them to a more appropriate place to discuss whatever it was he was talking about.

***

Harry finally stopped in front of simple stone wall on the second floor.  He glanced around quickly, making sure no one had followed them.  This area wasn't part of the castle that was in frequent use.  He tapped his wand on the center brick, and then on the lowest brick on the right side, then once more on the center brick.  The wall slid back and to the right revealing a corridor.  

"How did you—" Hermione began, but she was cut off when Blaise grabbed her by the arm and dragged her in.  Harry followed them and the wall slid back into place.

Blaise led them down the corridor to the doorway at the end.  The room held a few bookcases, a table and chairs, a couch, an armchair and a fireplace.  Blaise lit the fire with a careless wave of his wand and pushed Hermione down in one of the chairs at the table.

"What's going on?" she demanded.  "How did you find this place?"

"Sirius told me about it," Harry replied distractedly.  "But don't worry about that, we've got to figure out what that dog is guarding!"

"What dog?"

"Harry, we don't have enough information to figure that out."

"Well, then we have to find some more!"

"WHAT IS GOING ON?!"

Blaise and Harry stared at Hermione.  Harry's lips began to twitch.  Blaise turned away to try and prevent from smiling, but lost it when Harry began to chuckle.  The two boys were soon laughing uncontrollably.   

Hermione seethed and stalked past them, intent on leaving the room.

"Wait, wait, sorry," Harry choked out.  The two boys began to calm down as Hermione watched them impatiently.  When they managed to get their breath back, they told Hermione to sit down since it would take awhile to explain.

"Do you remember at the welcoming feast when Dumbledore said that the third floor corridor on the right-hand side was out of bounds?" Harry began.

"Yes," Hermione said slowly.  "You didn't go to the corridor did you?"

"It was completely by accident," Blaise said defensively.

"We went to the owlery after hours and were nearly caught.  We went into the corridor not realizing where we were," Harry explained.

"Too busy running from Filch," Blaise muttered.

"You shouldn't have been out of your dormitories after 10:30 anyway!  It would have served you right if you were caught.  Or died the horrible and painful death," Hermione scolded.

"Anyway," Harry said, ignoring Hermione's lecture, "It took us a few seconds to realize that we weren't alone."

"There was a monstrous three-headed dog with us," Blaise said sourly.

Harry shot Blaise an irritated look.  "The dog was standing on a trapdoor.  It's guarding something.  And whatever it's guarding, Snape and/or Quirrell want it."

"They're Hogwarts' teachers, Harry.  They aren't going to steal something from the school."

"Just listen to the evidence, Hermione," Harry replied.

Hermione bit her lip, chewing on it slightly.  "Fine.  What evidence?"

"Quirrell had to go past the Great Hall to find the troll in the dungeons Halloween night," Harry began.

"So, maybe he was in the dungeons to start with."

"Nope.  I talked with Tracey Davis.  She said that before she met up with Millicent and Olivia on the first floor that night that she was on the third floor talking to Professor Flitwick and saw Quirrell coming down to the feast," Harry replied.

"So, what does that mean?"

"That means that he might have had something to do with the troll getting in," Blaise replied.

"But why would he do that?  He's a teacher!"

"He could have let the troll in and used it as a distraction to try and get to the trapdoor," Harry answered.

Hermione frowned, biting her lip again.  "I don't know… it all sounds kind of iffy."

"Then there's Snape," Blaise continued.  "We saw him go to the third floor that night on our way to rescue you."

"And I just saw him in the staff room getting his leg bandaged.  He was saying something about watching all three heads at once.  He was trying to get past the dog that night."

"But, both Professor Snape and Professor Quirrell came into the bathroom that night with Professor McGonagall," Hermione pointed out.

"It's possible that they're working together," Blaise offered.

Hermione bit her lip.  "I don't know… what could be underneath the trapdoor that two Hogwarts' teachers would try to steal?  And really, Quirrell doesn't seem the type."

"There is more evidence against Snape," Blaise agreed reluctantly.

"Well, in my opinion, Snape doesn't seem like the type either," Harry snapped.

"Don't get all defensive just because your favorite teacher might be a bad guy," Blaise said.

"It's pointless to argue about who it is or isn't when we don't know what they could be potentially trying to steal," Hermione interrupted.

"So you agree that something is going on?" Harry asked.

"Something is going on, but I don't necessarily think that our teachers are up to something bad."

Blaise rolled his eyes.

"So, you still haven't answered my question," Hermione continued, ignoring Blaise's actions.  "What is under the trapdoor?"

Blaise and Harry exchanged glances.  "We don't know.  We think we know where the trapdoor takes you, but if we're right then there are six rooms of various sizes and a couple of passageways."

"Well that doesn't tell you anything," Hermione said.  "It could be something incredibly small that you have to go through trials to reach or something incredibly large.  You've no way of figuring out what's down there."

"Thanks for pointing out what we already know," Harry grumbled.

"Considering that you have such a small amount of information to go on, you should take what you do know to Professor Dumbledore and let him figure out if Professor Quirrell or Professor Snape is trying to steal whatever it is."

Blaise scowled.  "But then we'll never know what it is!"

"What are you saying?  You want to steal it too?" Hermione asked aghast.

"No!  We just… want to know what it is," Harry replied defensively.

"Well, forget curiosity.  It could be something dangerous.  Something that if it ended up in the wrong hands, could mean something bad for everyone."

"Like what?" Blaise asked.

"I don't know… like the return of You-Know-Who or something," Hermione said dismissively.

"That's not funny," Harry said quietly.

"I'm sorry, Harry.  I was just trying to think of an example," Hermione said apologetically.

"Whatever.  Look.  We're not going to get any farther than this on what we've got.  I'm supposed to meet Snape in…" Harry glanced at his watch.  "…less than an hour.  I'll see what information I can get from him."

"Don't do anything stupid," Hermione said.

"Right.  I'll leave now.  He might already be in the classroom."

"Good luck," Blaise said as Harry left the room.

***

When Harry reached the potions classroom, he found the door open wide and Snape waiting for him inside.  He was sitting behind his desk, so Harry walked over to it, standing in front of his seated professor.

"Mr. Potter, you requested a meeting?"

"Yes, sir."  Harry hesitated, trying to decide on his wording and how much to say.  "For awhile now, I have been interested in potion making and have received tutoring in it.  I had free reign to experiment and study.  Now that I am here at Hogwarts, I no longer have the freedom to experiment or try more difficult potions.  I would like to set up a time that is most convenient for you, to use the potions classroom for my work.  I don't mind if you wish to supervise, I would just like to continue my studies."

"I noticed your abilities and assumed as much, though I am surprised that your tutor let you work unsupervised."

Harry remained silent.  What could he say?  That he had been taught only theory for two years and understood the precautions needed to make potions and to experiment?

Snape's eyes narrowed.  "How long have you been learning potions?"

Harry's eyes widened in surprise.  "Why do you wish to know?" Harry asked, stalling for time.

"If you do not answer, and answer honestly, you will not ever be allowed to try potions beyond your year-level."

Harry bit his lip.  What to do?  What to say?  He sighed.  His guardians didn't want him to tell anyone about his tutoring, but he really wanted to be allowed to experiment outside of class and eventually ask Snape for extra tutoring.

"I'm waiting."

Harry studied his professor.  Despite the evidence to the contrary, he truly believed that he could trust Snape and that his professor was not trying to steal whatever the three-headed dog was guarding.

"Am I speaking in confidence, sir?"  Harry didn't want Snape to tell anyone else.

"Yes."

Harry hesitated once more before finally replying.  "Arabella has been teaching me since I was six."

Had he not been looking for it, Harry would have missed the slight widening of Snape's eyes and the slight release in his jaw muscles that allowed his lips to part slightly.  He had surprised his professor.

"You have been actually making potions since you were six?" he demanded.

"No.  I learned theory only the first two years.  When I was eight, I was allowed to begin making potions."

Snape was silent for a moment.  "Where are your journals?"

"In my dorm."

"Bring them to me, right now.  After I've read them, I will decide if you are ready for another class."

Harry's eyes widened as he realized what his professor meant.  If he felt Harry was advanced enough, he'd actually _teach_ him after class.  "Yes, sir."

Snape gestured towards the door, and Harry took off.  He dashed down the halls and into the Slytherin dormitories.  He unlocked his trunk and extracted the five journals, then carefully locked his trunk again.  He picked up the books and ran back to the potions classroom.  When he got back, Snape was still sitting behind his desk and appeared to be deep in thought.

"Here are my journals.  The fifth one is not full yet; it's the one I'm working out of at the moment."

Snape accepted the journals and took note of their immaculate condition as well as the clear markings of dates on the covers.  "I shall return these to you in a few days and give you my answer."

"Yes, sir."

"Dismissed."

Harry left the potions classroom in a euphoric haze, not realizing he hadn't tried to get any information from Snape about the third floor corridor.

***

The day of the Slytherin-Gryffindor match came with bright sunshine and beautiful weather.  Harry was a nervous wreck.  It was one thing to play for fun or to practice with the team; it was another thing to play in front of a large crowd with the honor of your house at stake. 

It also didn't help that Blaise and Hermione were irritated with him.  He was supposed to get information from Snape but he forgot all about it when Snape asked him for his journals and said that he might mentor him after class.  And the second time was no better.  He really did mean to try and get _something_, but after learning that Snape was willing to teach him outside of class, he was much too ecstatic to even think about the third-floor corridor.

Harry managed to eat the half a sandwich that Marcus put on his plate but that was it.  When they finally adjourned to the locker room, Harry was getting so nervous his palms were sweating and his skin had paled several shades.  His hands shook slightly as he changed into his green Quidditch robes.

Harry felt a hand drop onto his shoulder.  He turned and found Marcus watching him calmly.  "Relax; forget the crowd, and just play.  You're the best seeker I've ever seen.  Better than Charlie Weasley and he was supposed to be the best this school has seen in ages.  I know you'll win the game for us.  I have no doubts."

Harry smiled slightly.  "Thanks, Marcus."

For whatever reason, Marcus didn't give a group pep talk.  He went to each player and spoke quietly to them.  Whatever he said to each of them worked, because the Slytherin team was in high spirits as they walked out, and Harry was only half nervous as he followed them out.  

They were greeted by loud cheers from their fellow Slytherins, but the other three houses had banded together in support of Gryffindor.  The booing was louder than the cheers.  Madam Hooch was refereeing and stood waiting for the two teams in the center of the field, her broom in hand.

"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, paying particular attention to Marcus.  

Harry smiled slightly.  He'd heard that Marcus liked to play rough during games, especially ones with Gryffindor.  During practices, he was a pretty laid-back player.  It would be interesting to see him in action during a match.

"Mount your brooms, please."

Harry climbed onto his Nimbus Two Thousand, and Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her whistle.  Fifteen brooms shot high up into the air.  The match had begun.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor – what an excellent chaser that girl is, and rather attractive too—"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

A Gryffindor boy was commentating on the match while Professor McGonagall supervised.  It was readily apparent that there would not be any fair and balanced commenting as long as he was the commentator.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve – back to Johnson and – no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes – Flint flying like an eagle up there – he's going to sc- no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle – that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there – nice dive around Flint, off up the field and – OUCH – that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger – Quaffle taken by the Slytherins – that's Charles Warrington speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger – sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which – nice play by the Gryffindor Beaster, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes – she's really flying – doges a speeding Bludger – the goal posts are ahead – come on, now, Angelina – Keeper Bletchley dives – misses – GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

Harry scowled from his position above the game.  He had decided to stay out of the way and keep up high so he'd have a better chance of seeing the Snitch.  He saw a flash of gold pass by Warrington just as Lee Jordan said as much.  He dived down, racing the Gryffindor seeker towards the elusive golden ball.  He was easily pulling away from his competition, and the snitch was almost in reach, when he was brought to a sudden halt.  The Gryffindor Captain Oliver Wood had purposely blocked him, causing his broom to spin out of control.  

Hisses and jeers came from the Slytherins and Marcus screamed "Foul!"  

Harry fought to pull his broom under control.  When he finally managed it, he breathed a sigh of relief and began to rise above the game again.  He ignored the biased and pleased commentating of Lee Jordan and watched Marcus take the penalty shot.  He then dodged out of the way of an incoming Bludger and decided to go higher.  

He was understandably shocked when his broom did not respond the way it was supposed to.  Instead it gave a sickening lurch. For a split second he thought he was going to fall.  He gripped the broom tightly with his hands and his knees.  He'd felt something like this once before, when his guardians had decided he should know what it felt like for someone to jinx his broom.

It happened again.  It was as though the broom had developed a mind of its own and was determined to get him off.  Quickly he locked his eyes onto his broom handle and began muttering a counter-spell.  The broom was completely out of control.  He couldn't direct it at all.  It lurched and zigzagged through the air, causing his stomach to do similar maneuvers.  It kept breaking his sight of the broom.  He couldn't perform the counter-spell correctly.

He could hear people cheering, but couldn't tell who.  No one seemed to have noticed his situation.

Blaise elbowed Hermione and gestured up at Harry.  "What's Harry doing?"

"I don't know," she replied frowning.  "Is that some kind of fancy move?  I haven't read about it in any books."

"Sweet Merlin!" Blaise yelped as Harry's broom rolled over and his friend nearly toppled from it.

"Something must have happened to his broom when Wood blocked him!" Hermione cried.

"No," one of the Slytherin seventh-years behind them said.  "That's a Nimbus Two Thousand.  It would take a lot more than that for the broom to loose control like that."

Hermione snatched the binoculars from Blaise and frantically scanned the crowd.  "Oh, God."

"What?" Blaise asked horrified.

"Both Snape and Quirrell are casting spells.  One is jinxing Harry and the other is trying to stop it, but which one?!"

"What?" Blaise grabbed the binoculars from Hermione and the other Slytherins around who heard Hermione began scanning the crowd, their faces paling, realizing one of their teachers was trying to kill, or at least seriously injure, a student.

"If they were both jinxing, Harry would have fallen by now!  One of them is casting a counter-spell!"

"What should we do?" Blaise moaned.

"Leave it to me; I've got an idea!" Hermione said and jumped up.

Blaise watched Harry, horrified as the broom shook so hard that his friend could barely hang on.  The other Slytherin players tried to get close enough to Harry to pull him onto their brooms but every time they tried the broom would jerk out of reach.

Hermione fought her way across to the stand where Snape and Quirrell stood.  Quirrell was the closest.  She bumped into him hard enough to knock him over and dashed down the back of the row.  Dare she wait long enough to figure out who was casting the jinx?  She glanced up at Harry.  His broom had stilled.  She stared at the back of Snape and felt guilty.  She had suspected that Snape was the one casting the jinx.  She turned and hurried back to Blaise.

Harry adjusted his grip on the unmoving broom and swung back up.  He headed immediately for the ground, hoping he wouldn't throw-up before he got there.  

Hermione reached Blaise in time to see Harry clap a hand over his mouth and she whispered a soft "oh" thinking that Harry had finally lost control of his stomach.  

He hit the field on all fours – coughed – and something gold fell into his hand.  "I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving it above his head, willing to forget about his near-death experience temporarily.  The game ended in complete confusion.

"He didn't catch it, he nearly swallowed it!" Wood was still howling twenty minutes later, but it made no difference – Harry hadn't broken any rules although Lee Jordan was unhappily protesting the ruling instead of giving the score.

Harry heard none of it though.  He, Hermione, and Blaise sat in the kitchens drinking tea.  "It was Quirrell," Hermione explained.  "I knocked him over first, and then went to Snape, but before I cast the fire spell I was going to, I looked up at you.  The broom had already stabilized, and I realized that Snape was the one performing the counter-spell."

Harry smiled, content that his favorite teacher hadn't been the one trying to kill him.

"However, all it says is that Snape isn't willing to kill a student over whatever is under the trapdoor.  It doesn't mean that he isn't trying to steal it, just like Quirrell."

"Yeah, why did Snape try and get past that three-headed dog?"

Harry sighed.

"Is Mister Zabini speaking of Fluffy?" one of the house-elves asked timidly.

"That dog is named Fluffy?" Hermione asked shocked.

"Oh!  The students must stay away from it!" another house-elf cried.

"Who in their right mind would name that dog Fluffy?" Blaise asked, rhetorically, not expecting an answer.

"It's Mister Hagrid's dog," the first house-elf replied, pulling on its ears as it did so.

"Well then," Hermione said.  "It seems we'll be paying a visit to the groundskeeper."

***

TBC…

A/N: Some serious Potter fans might have noticed that the game time didn't seem quite right, and you'd be correct.  I used author's creative license to change the game time from 11:00AM to 1:00PM.  The reason why won't be evident until much, much, MUCH later, but there is a reason.

Also, in Lee's commentary, he says that one of the Slytherin chasers is called Adrian Pucey, however, I mixed up my notes and said earlier in the fic that the three Slytherin chasers were: Flint, Warrington, and Montague, so I changed that.  Otherwise his commentary is unchanged.

And finally, at this point in time, Hermione does not realize that house-elves are not paid workers.

As always, please feel free to ask me questions.  If you're having trouble understanding something, then please let me know.  Unfortunately, questions are more likely to be answered if you ask them at my group than if you ask me in an e-mail.  I have the very bad habit of forgetting to respond back to e-mails.  If you are one of those people who sent me an e-mail and didn't get a response back, I'm sooooo sorry.  If you did get a response back… you lucky dogs!

My group: groups.yahoo.com/group/HuntressSmiles

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed or sent me an e-mail.  All encouragement is appreciated.

~Artemis Luna Diana~


	9. Chapter Nine: Beware of the half truth Y...

**Title:** AU: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

**Author:** Artemis Luna Diana

**E-Mail:** artemislunadiana@yahoo.com

**Rating:** PG-13 (cursing)

**Pairing:** none

**Time:** begins the night of James and Lily's deaths and continues through Harry's first year of school

**Summary:** Harry grows up under the watchful eyes of Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and Arabella Figg.  When Harry was still little, he had a nightmare and woke up screaming.  When his guardians arrived in his bedroom, he told them that _he_ would be coming back.  Knowing instinctively who Harry was referring too, the three resolved to train Harry to defend himself before he left for Hogwarts.  They figured that everyone would dismiss Harry's vision as a simple nightmare.  So they kept the whole matter a secret.  Now it's time for Harry's first year of Hogwarts.  He's been trained in secret to be cunning, strong, and quick-thinking.  So where does he end up: Slytherin.

**Disclaimer:** I own not a thing.  Due to the fact that this story covers one of the years already written, the majority of the events and some of the dialogue comes straight from the book.

**Thanks to:** snapeysnapesnape, Kes, Dora, Telos, and Shadow for the excellent betas.

**Chapter Nine: Beware of the half truth. You may have gotten hold of the wrong half.**

Harry, Blaise, and Hermione trooped out to the Groundskeeper's cabin.  They weren't sure how they'd be welcomed by the half-giant.  Sirius and Remus had been very friendly with Hagrid, but Arabella hadn't gotten on with him at all.  Harry figured it was because she was a Slytherin, so he hadn't sought out the half-giant to make friends.

Harry knocked on the door and a few moments later, Hagrid was peering down at them.  "Hello, Hagrid," Harry said politely.  "I'm Harry; this is Blaise and Hermione.  Can we come in?  We wanted to speak with you."

Hagrid looked befuddled, but stepped back and let them in.  Harry spotted the lazy dog lying in front of the fire and said, almost hesitant, "That must be Fang, right?"

"Er, yeah," Hagrid said giving Harry another confused look.

"Sirius and Remus told me all about you two," he said, sitting down.  Blaise and Hermione did the same.  "They said you were good friends of my parents and the Marauders."

"Aye, that I was," Hagrid said, his eyes softening in memory.  "Your Mum and Dad were always dropping by, even after they graduated.  You'd never meet anyone finer than they."

"I know," Harry said softly, a slight smile on his face.

"You're in Slytherin, though, aren't ya?"

"Yes, and proud to be so." Harry gave a soft chuckle.  "Besides, Blaise needed someone who wasn't a Death Eater's child to be friends with," Harry said shooting a smile at his best friend.  "And who knows, if I hadn't been in Slytherin, I might not have become friends with Hermione."  Harry smiled at his other best friend.  "Even if she is a Gryffindork."

Hermione laughed.  "Slimly Slytherin."

Blaise grinned.  

Had Hagrid been paying closer attention to his three guests, he might have realized the act they were putting on.  The ease and comfort they displayed hid the tension they were feeling.  Blaise and Harry were also trying to draw attention away from Hermione, who wasn't comfortable with fooling the naïve half-giant.  

Harry directed the conversation away from the past after awhile and moved onto different types of animals, using his own knowledge of magical creatures to draw the half-giant's thoughts in the direction he wanted.  He discovered, that more than anything, Hagrid wanted a dragon.  His fascination with dangerous creatures had not been exaggerated by Sirius and Remus.  But, more importantly: he had a three-headed dog named Fluffy.

"Where is it?" Harry asked, feigning ignorance.  "Does it live in the Forbidden Forest or something?" 

"Nah, Professor Dumbledore's borrowing him.  The Headmaster needed him to guard the–"

"What?" Blaise asked, unable to stop himself.

"That's between Professor Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel! …I shouldn't have told ya that."

***

Harry, Blaise, and Hermione entered the Slytherin common room and collapsed onto one of the couches.  " 'M tired," Blaise said yawning.

"We still have to study," Hermione said, but unable to stop her own mouth from stretching into a yawn.

Upon leaving Hagrid's, they had gone to the secret room they'd dubbed as their own.   They discussed what Hagrid had revealed, racking their brains trying to figure out who Nicolas Flamel was. 

"How much time before curfew?" Harry asked.

Hermione glanced at her watch.  "Two more hours."

"This day is never ending," Blaise said.

"I'm kind of surprised there isn't still a party going on," Hermione noted, looking around the nearly empty common room.  "The Gryffindors don't stop till they pass out."

"Some of the older students still have class, and there are more classes tomorrow, plus the team has practice in the morning," Harry replied.

Hermione looked at Harry in surprise.  "I didn't realize there were any classes on the weekends."

"There are classes all the time, Hermione," Blaise mumbled, his eyes closed and his head resting on the arm of the couch.

"It's mostly older students who take advanced courses," Harry explained.

"Advanced?" Hermione asked.

"You're drooling," Blaise said without opening his eyes.

"Shut-up, Blaise. Advanced?"

Harry grinned.  "Yeah, it's like the classes I take with Professor Snape.  Students that the teachers feel understand enough and are responsible enough to take advanced classes on top of their regular classes.  It's worked out between the teacher and the student.  From what Marcus said, Professor Flitwick takes on more students than any of the other teachers.  He usually arranges his students to learn together.  Professor Snape, on the other hand, rarely takes on an advanced student, and when he does, they're always taught one-on-one."

"You'll probably end up as one of Flitwick's advanced students," Blaise murmured.  "You're a natural at charms."

"Thanks, Blaise," Hermione said.

"He'll end up one of Flitwick's students too," Harry added, "if he doesn't slack off."

"Shut-up, Harry."

Hermione giggled, turning around as the door to the common room opened.  Her grin disappeared.

"What's that filthy mudblood doing in here?" Malfoy snarled.

Blaise and Harry exploded from the couch, drawing their wands as they stood.  The area surrounding the group lit up in a blaze of spells and curses.  The other Slytherins in the room gathered round to see who had won.

"Where is Malfoy's hair?" Hermione asked after a moment.

Harry sheathed his wand and smugly said, "Instant Scalping Hex."

"And Goyle…"

"Insect Jinx," Blaise replied as he gleefully watched the boy scuttle across the floor.

"Crabbe?"

"Furnunculus Curse," Harry replied.

Hermione watched as Malfoy rubbed his head in obvious shock and horror and couldn't help but laugh.  The other Slytherins joined in, as did Harry and Blaise.  It would be a very long time before Malfoy would ever live this one down.

"And don't call Hermione names again," Harry scolded, holding in his laughter for a moment,  "Or else you'll get much worse!"

***

Christmas holidays were coming, and at about mid-December, only a day before holidays began, the school woke to find itself blanketed in snow.  It was so cold in the dungeons that little puffs of mist appeared each time someone breathed.  Blaise, Harry, and Hermione retreated to their secret room to study and research, forgoing the Slytherin common room completely.  It was extremely cold, even with warming charms.

"This is ridiculous," Hermione said, slamming _Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century_ closed.  "I know I've heard that name before."

"We've all heard the name before, Hermione," Blaise said dejectedly, closing _Notable Magical Names of Our Time_ with much more respect for the book than Hermione had displayed.  "No one can remember why."

Harry drummed his fingers on a copy of _Important Modern Magical Discoveries_ he had been reading.  "I have this feeling though, that it has something to do with potions or something similar."

"We tried all the recent potions books _and_ the journals," Hermione said.  "You must be remembering something else."

Harry scowled.  "It's driving me crazy.  I know I should know this!" he snapped and stalked from the library.

Blaise gathered up the books they'd been using.  "I know how he feels.  Maybe he can figure it out during the holidays.  There might be something in the Black library."

Hermione took some of the books from Blaise, helping him put them up.

***

The train ride home for the Christmas holidays was cheerful as the three friends agreed to put aside school and research for later.  They were also enjoying the fruits of their parting prank.  The Gryffindors (minus Hermione of course) were only able to speak about how wonderful Salazar Slytherin was, and the charm wasn't going to fade for 24 hours.  So far, none of them had been able to remove it.  Needless to say, the Gryffindors were not roaming around on the train.

"Latine loqui coactus sum,"(1) Harry said after awhile.  He wasn't in the mood to read like Hermione and Blaise were, so he was left staring at the ceiling of the train.

Hermione thought for a moment, then laughed when she translated what he had said.  "Why?"

"Quid quid latine dictum sit, altum viditur,"(2) he replied.

Blaise started laughing and put aside his book.  "Is this a hint for us to entertain you?"

"Vah! Denuone Latine loquebar? Me ineptum. Interdum modo elabitur!"(3) Harry said shocked, smiling when his friends began laughing anew.  "What are you going to do for the holidays?" he asked becoming serious.

"Study of course," Hermione replied.  "I expect that we'll visit my grandparents though, so I'll be at their home for part of the holidays.  Oh, that reminds me, I'm not going to give you two your presents until after the holidays.  My grandparents don't know I'm a witch."

"Okay," Harry said.  "I won't send you your present then.  I'll wait till we come back to school to give it to you."

"Great," Hermione said smiling.

"Me too," Blaise added.  "As for holidays, we'll probably end up at the Malfoy's party."

"I sympathize," Harry said.

"That's no fun," Hermione agreed.

"I won't be able to curse the little heir either.  Mum and Dad don't want to offend the entire Malfoy clan, and cursing Dracey-poo would do just that."

"Besides, you don't want to be expelled do you?" Hermione prompted.

Blaise smiled smugly.

"You don't!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Blaise replied airily.

"You've got an Anti-Detect Charm!"

"I've got one too," Harry smirked.

"That's no fair!" Hermione complained.

"What are you doing for the holidays, Harry?" Blaise asked, ignoring Hermione's pouting.

"I'll be looking up Nicolas Flamel in the library, and working on some potions that Snape said I could try on my own," Harry said gleefully.  He was really looking forward to that.

"Like what?" Blaise asked.

"Like a truth potion.  Not as strong as Veritaserum, though.  Still, it should be fun."

***

"Harry!"

Harry grinned and waved at his family.  He turned to his friends.  "See you after the holidays!" he said and hurried towards his guardians.

"Bye, Harry!"

"Happy holidays!"

"Look at our bouncing bundle of joy!"

"Can it, Sirius."

Laughing, the group made their way to the floo entrances.

***

Harry entertained his family with stories and descriptions of pranks for the next several days.  When Sirius and Arabella were at work, though, Harry could be found in the main library.  He was having little luck in his search, until he recalled that Remus and Arabella had planned to index the library.  

"Remus, have you and Arabella finished the index for the library yet?"

"No, I'm afraid not.  It is only 2/3rds done."

"Is the index usable?"

"Yes.  But like I said, it will only give you the 2/3rds we've cataloged."

"That's fine.  Where is the index?"

"Arabella's workroom."

"Thanks!"

"Harry," Remus sighed as Harry scampered off without hearing his call.  "I wonder what he wants it for…."

***

"Nicholas Flamel is the only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone!"  Harry laughed gleefully.  "I am The Man!"

"The man of what?" Arabella asked amused.

Harry jumped, slammed the book shut, and whipped around to face his guardian.  "Wha?"

"What are you so excited about?"

"Oh, I was just," thinking quickly, he said, "looking up information on potions and alchemy.  I want my lessons with Professor Snape to go really well."

"I don't think you are in any danger of doing badly, Harry," she said dryly.  "Come on, dinner's ready."

"Alright."

***

"So did you find what you needed in the library, Harry?" Remus asked as they were sitting down.

"Yes, thanks again, Remus."

"So what were you looking for?" Sirius asked curiously.

"I was just doing some more research on potions and alchemy.  My lessons with Professor Snape are going really well, but it never hurts to study more, right?"

"Right, you are," Arabella agreed.

"Snape," Sirius grouched.  "I still don't understand how Dumbledore can let him teach."

"Sirius," Arabella said warningly and then shot a look at Harry.

"What?" Harry asked.  "Why shouldn't he teach?  He's like the greatest Potions Master of the age."

"He should know," Sirius said to Arabella.  "Especially since he's begun taking these lessons with him one-on-one."

"He really is a vampire?!" Harry asked astonished.

"No," Remus replied, fighting off a smile.  "Sirius started that rumor when we were still in school."

"Oh.  Then what is it?"

"Dumbledore vouched for him, Sirius, that's good enough for me," Arabella said, glaring at him.

Remus sighed.  "We might as well tell him, Arabella, considering both of you are talking like he isn't in the room.  Harry will look for the information on his own if you don't."

"Damn right!"

"Watch your mouth!" came from three different directions.

"Sorry."

"Harry," Arabella sighed.  "I don't want this to change your opinion of him.  You've really enjoyed learning from him, and I hope that you will continue to do so."

Harry began to feel a sinking in his gut.  Whatever this was, it was bad.

"Snape's a Death Eater," Sirius said bluntly.

"_Was_, Sirius.  _Was_," she shot a hard look at Sirius, before turning back to Harry.  "Dumbledore vouched for him.  I truly believe that he didn't realize what he'd gotten into until it was too late to get out.  Remember, he was just a child then."

Harry was silent.

"Harry?" Remus prodded.

"May I be excused?" 

Remus sighed.  "Sure."

Harry quickly got up and left.

Arabella stood as soon as he was gone.  Leaning on the table, she was practically growling as she spoke.  "I told you we shouldn't tell him.  Since he was little, he's looked up to Severus's achievements in the art of potion making.  He's Harry's role-model!"

"Harry should know that his role-model doesn't deserve to be on a pedestal!" Sirius snapped back, also rising.

"Both of you, calm down!  It's over.  The decision has been made for better or for worse.  Arguing about it won't change anything," Remus broke in.  "I'm going to check on Harry."

***

TBC…

A/N:

(1) – _I have this compulsion to speak Latin._

(2) – _Anything said in Latin sounds profound._

(3) – _Oh! Was I speaking Latin again? Silly me. Sometimes it just sort of slips out!_

Everyone, I apologize for the long wait.  At first RL was keeping me super busy and I barely had time to breathe much less write, then I finally get some time to write and wham-bam!  Car accident.  I broke both my right arm and leg (I was in the front passenger seat).  I have a rod in my leg until October of 2004, but the cast on my arm is off and I'm doing PT.  The docs say it will never be at full strength, but I have hope.  My right arm is my dominant arm.

Next chapter, will start off with Christmas Day celebrations, and then it will be back to Hogwarts.  Something you might notice is, no Mirror of Erised.  The mirror is something that I haven't decided if Harry will encounter before he goes to save the Stone.  So that's up for grabs.

As always, please feel free to ask me questions.  If you're having trouble understanding something, then please let me know.  Unfortunately, questions are more likely to be answered if you ask them at my group than if you ask me in an e-mail.  I have the very bad habit of forgetting to respond back to e-mails.  If you are one of those people who sent me an e-mail and didn't get a response back, I'm sooooo sorry.  If you did get a response back… you lucky dogs!

My to everyone who has reviewed or sent me an e-mail.  All encouragement is appreciated.

~Artemis Luna Diana~


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